Clarity
by elementaryprincess
Summary: Begins at Emmeryn's death. Follow the life of the Avatar throughout the second half of the storyline, with some major changes. Follows his mindset as he strives to become something other than a man of war.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey all, this is my first fanfiction; after playing through Fire Emblem: Awakening, I realized that the game's plot was smartly designed to leave a lot of holes for the imagination to fill in (probably due to the freedom of choice of pairings throughout the game); as a result, I've decided to take advantage of that freedom and try my hand at writing a fanfiction! Enjoy! **

* * *

"NO!"

She was falling. He saw the corpses of what had been the Ylissean pegasus knights. Still she fell. A man with deep blue hair, and the Brand of the Exalt emblazoned on his shoulder, ran towards where she fell, but there was nothing he could do.

Then she fell no more. Emmeryn, the Exalt of Ylisse, was gone. Chrom knelt at her corpse, body heaving with sobs, and Amadeus felt the full force of his guilt hit him. The people of Ylisse had lost their leader, their paragon, that which represented the best in them. And this had all been his plan….

"Gangrel! You die TODAY," Chrom yelled at the Mad King, drawing his legendary blade, Falchion.

"NO, boy! We've secured our escape, but we need to leave NOW! Amadeus! !" A dark, muscled man with an eyepatch yelled at the blue haired man and the tactician.

"Chrom...we need to go with Basilio. I promise you, we WILL avenge Emmeryn." Amadeus closed his eyes, shuddering at the thought of the last time he had promised Chrom something.

_I promised him. I promised him that I'd find a way to save Emmeryn...how can I look him in the eye now?_

"...Fine." Chrom reluctantly agreed, and the two sprinted off.

"BWA HAHA! You can run, my little prince, but soon you will meet your end, just like your luminous sister!" The Mad King's derisive taunts echoed behind them, but the two kept one foot after the other, escaping the scene while knowing that it would never leave them.

* * *

They had caught up with Basilio and the rest of the Shepherds at the Midmire, but found their way blocked by a small Plegian strike force. Amadeus scanned the battlefield, looking for weaknesses in the enemy formation. Just as he was about to issue formations and battle orders, Chrom charged forward, alone, eyes filled with tears of rage.

He made no sound as he mercilessly cut through the Plegians, exacting his vengeance and pouring out his grief and fury on them. They stood no chance, and the path to the caravans, and escape, were soon clear. The Shepherds quickly jumped in, wary that more Plegians could come any second. Amadeus jumped into the last caravan with Chrom and Basilio, and leaned back to rest as they rode off. He squeezed his eyes shut, going back in his mind to the day prior.

"_Chrom, I promise you, I'll think of some way to save your sister." He had said it to comfort Chrom, but he hadn't the faintest idea how he was going to fulfill this promise. _

_After much thought, he'd finally had the outlines of a plan. He brought it to the Khans, and to Chrom. It was risky, but they all agreed it was the best course of action; as Flavia said, it "only involved as much risk as was necessary in such a mission." _

_Amadeus himself had his doubts, despite their belief in him. "I hope your faith is not misplaced…" _

_It had been Chrom who had reassured Amadeus. "No, friend, you worry too much. Your tactical mind has gotten us this far, I have no doubt it will get us through tomorrow. Come this time on the morrow, we'll be trading stories with Emm as we head home to celebrate."_

_How cruel fate was. _

It was those words that haunted Amadeus. They had believed in him; he had let them down. He opened his eyes to look at Chrom, who only gazed numbly, senselessly, out the caravan window. Amadeus closed his eyes again, asking himself for what felt like the hundredth time that day, "_How can I look him in the eye after my plans have failed? How can I ever make a promise to him again?"_

* * *

The caravans had taken them to an abandoned village in the Plegian desert. The Shepherds quietly set about the task of setting up camp; the usual recounting of their exploits in battle was absent today, as everyone was in shock and grieving after Emmeryn's fall. Amadeus set up his tent in the far corner of camp, as far away from Chrom as possible, and he sat inside, cradling his head in his hands. He made sure no one was around before returning to sit on the foot of his cot. He could feel the tears flow uninvited from his eyes, and he made no effort to stop them. Again, the same thoughts. _I failed. _Suddenly, there was a quick rap on the tent flap. Amadeus quickly wiped his eyes and his nose on his handkerchief, before getting up to answer the knock.

"Yes?" He opened the tent flap to find Frederick, the ever-stoic great knight. "Ah, Frederick. May I help you?"

"Milord has requested a strategy meeting. Scouts have located Gangrel's forces, and Milord is..understandably eager to engage them."

"Of course. Tell him I'll be there straightaway." _Oh gods. I have to face him now. _

"Yes, sir." Frederick left, leaving Amadeus once again alone with his thoughts.

He went back into his tent to put on his coat, and trudged to the strategy tent in the middle of their campsite. Chrom and the khans, Basilio and Flavia, were already inside.

"Ah, boy, you're here." Basilio gave Amadeus a relatively soft pat on the shoulder.

"Yes, we could use some brains here." Flavia. Amadeus almost smiled at this; despite everything that had happened, her ribbing of Basilio hadn't stopped. It was nice to see some degree of normalcy today.

"Khan Flavia. Khan Basilio." Amadeus nodded his greeting to each of them before turning to the man he dreaded facing most. He looked up, but before making eye contact, he moved his gaze to fix directly on the tip of Chrom's boot. Amadeus took a breath before opening his mouth to speak.

"Chrom, I...I don't know how else to say this. I'm-" A gloved hand cut him off.

"Listen, Amadeus. I know what you're going to say. I know why you won't look me in the eye, and I need you to know: I don't blame you for Emmeryn's death. It wasn't your fault."

Still, Amadeus couldn't bring his gaze up. Chrom's boot had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the room.

"Amadeus. Look at me." Blue eyes looked straight ahead, waiting for brown ones to lift from the floor and meet them. "You did everything you could. You worked harder than anyone else in trying to make some semblance of a plausible plan that would work in an impossible situation. You had the odds stacked against you, and you did your absolute best. Who am I to blame you?"

The brown orbs finally met the blue. "Chrom…"

"I won't let you mope. The rest of the Shepherds still believe in you; I believe in you, and we're all waiting for you to tell us the plans for tomorrow."

Amadeus's vision swam with tears. _What did I ever do to deserve such friends? What did I ever do to deserve such loyalty from these people who I've known for hardly a few months? _

"C-Chrom...I-I don't know what to say. T-thank you…" He couldn't even begin to fathom how Chrom was internalizing all the pain and grief from the day's events, but he appreciated his leader's sincere words of comfort. Chrom nodded and gestured at the map in front of them.

"Well, Amadeus? Our scouts report that Gangrel's set up his forces here." Chrom pointed to a spot in the middle of the Plegian desert.

Amadeus sniffed and composed himself before speaking.

"Well, if we were to fight in the desert, there's not much terrain, and it'll mostly be flat. We should probably have our units stick together; the cavalry can lead and take out some of the heavy units before our foot units begin break ranks to attack more freely. This will also protect our units from aerial attacks; if we stay as a group until their forces are relatively decimated, the foot soldiers can fight more freely knowing that we have artillery to ward off any air attacks. Once their archers have been dealt with, our aerial team can initiate a full offensive rather than selectively supporting, and that should quickly deplete what forces they have left. After that, well, Chrom, you know what happens."

Chrom's eyes glinted with rage as he took out a small dagger and thrust it into the board at the center of the battlefield in agreement. "Indeed I do. We set out tomorrow." He turned and left the tent, and the other three took this as a signal that the meeting was over. The khans left the tent, and Amadeus followed them out as he returned to his tent.

_Chrom…although you won't blame me for today, you can't stop me from blaming myself. This guilt is something that I will live with to my dying day...but I cannot thank you enough for your words. Tomorrow, we put an end to this madness. _

Amadeus wearily entered his tent and collapsed onto his cot. Normally, at this time, he would be out mingling with the other Shepherds, but today he didn't feel like doing so. He needed to be alone to collect his thoughts before the battle the next day. He lay alone, mulling over everything in his head. Part of him wanted to believe what Chrom had said; it wanted to believe that everything was okay, that his plan tomorrow would work and they would emerge victorious. But another part of him whispered, quietly, constantly; _you've failed once...maybe the Mad King has you figured out. What if you lead the Shepherds to their death..._

_But I'm the one they look to. I must not fail. I will not fail. _

Amadeus closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep before his newfound resolve failed him and the warring thoughts returned, and soon slipped into a deep slumber.

* * *

**A/N: Thats the first chapter! I liked this part as a starting point; most of the major characters have been introduced at this point, so it's easier to develop an "identity" for the Shepherds, rather than having it fluctuate and change as more characters are added (in my opinion). **

**For those of you who are wondering, yes, the name Amadeus comes from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the child prodigy of music. I chose a name from music because music comes from making a unified harmony from a seeming garble of notes. Battle, and war, are similar; to my point of view, there is a certain artistry in strategy and tactics, in knowing when and where to use which troops, how to take advantage of terrain, etc. Therefore, I thought that a musician's name would be fitting for our lead tactician here. (I also just don't like the name Robin on this character. No real reason, I just...didn't think it fit. That's not a shot at anyone named Robin, the name itself is great.)**

**Second, I'll be loosely following the plot of the game. The main, important events will remain unchanged, but otherwise, there may and most likely will be significant differences.**

**LASTLY, I haven't decided on any pairings yet (outside of Sumia/Chrom, obviously.) If there are any suggestions, please let me know in your reviews! I will say that I will NOT do a Avatar/(child character) pairing; one, the narrative would just be too much for me to handle, and I feel like there's already plenty of Avatar/(child character) fanfics out there. I'd prefer to do a pairing that is not often seen, so if you guys have any ideas, let me know! I'll probably start pairing Amadeus up after the battle with Gangrel, although if I do think of a pairing that I like, I could drop some hints (I don't want to start something here, because the time gap between the war with Plegia and the war with Valm).**

**Please read and review! Thanks in advance :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Amadeus took a quick break to survey the battlefield. His tactics had worked to perfection; Gangrel, frenzied fighter that he was, did not have much of a head for strategy, and thus merely sent force after force of Plegians at the steadily charging group of Shepherds. Each group was overpowered, and with each Plegian that was brushed aside, the Shepherds drew closer and closer to the Mad King.

Gangrel's force had been reduced to the point where he could not send teams out to attack anymore; all he could do was draw them close to him for a final stand. As they held their ground and prepared for the final incoming assault, Chrom and Amadeus locked eyes and nodded at each other.

_Gangrel only has about ten more troops left, eleven including himself. This time, for sure, Chrom, I will keep my promise to you, and we will finish off this scum. _

"Chrom. It's time."

Chrom nodded, and Amadeus could see the rage beginning to overtake them.

The two friends charged.

Gangrel shouted what Amadeus was pretty sure was a chain of expletives regarding Chrom and himself, then shouted orders for his remaining troops to charge at them.

Axes bore down on them, but the strikes never landed. Falchion spun and weaved through axe and man alike, leaving axe handles separated from blades and Plegian bodies falling to the floor.

Amadeus, slightly more nimble than Chrom but lacking in raw strength, ducked and dodged through the strikes; the axemen growled as their weapons hewed at what had suddenly become thin air, before feeling a blade slicing through their bodies.

The desert dust settled, and Amadeus saw Gangrel peering through to see the aftermath of this little skirmish.

"BWA HA HA! The little princeling survived! And so did his pet brain! Very well then, allow ME to clean up! You will have the pleasure of dying together, knowing that your deaths will be the first of ALL Ylisseans!" He drew a crooked sword that Amadeus had never seen before, but had read about. It was a Levin sword, capable of drawing lightning and infusing the blade with electric power.

He raised the sword, and lightning forked down to the blade, before Gangrel redirected it towards the two of them. Chrom rolled gracefully to the left, while Amadeus rolled with rather less skill to the right. Chrom's roll brought him into a somersault that vaulted him forward, and he sprinted towards Gangrel, consumed by his rage.

"Today is your last day, Gangrel!" Falchion was out and whirring through the air. Amadeus took his eyes off the scene to scramble off the ground. Before he could get out the tome in his cloak, he saw Gangrel land a deft smack to Chrom's face with the flat of his blade, before catching Falchion in one of the grooves of his crooked sword. Deftly, almost effortlessly, he flicked his wrist, and Falchion flew through the air, while Chrom fell to the floor, dizzy and disoriented.

"HAHA! Join your sister now, my princeling!" He raised his head for the final blow.

"Elfire!" A bolt of fire struck Gangrel squarely in the arm, and he staggered back. Amadeus had fumbled the tome while taking it out, but managed to get the spell off in the nick of time.

_Heh. Well, that wor-_ Before he could finish the thought, he saw that Gangrel had recovered his blade, and was now rushing him at full speed. Amadeus knew he had to keep Gangrel's attention until Chrom regained his senses. He dropped his tome and drew his sword once more as Gangrel reached him.

Parrying furiously, he hoped that Chrom would recover soon. Gangrel's attacks struck with the strength of rage and desperation, and that was enough to overpower Amadeus eventually, who could already feel his arms weighing him down. He decided to change tactics. He disengaged Gangrel with a flourish, sliding Gangrel's strike to his right while simultaneously leaping away from the diverted momentum of the blow.

"The Mad King?" He guffawed. "Only thing mad about you is how weak your strikes are. I was really hoping for more, Gangrel."

More expletives, and he charged again. In close quarters, Gangrel's crooked sword gave him a significant advantage. Amadeus parried while glancing over at Chrom. Suddenly, he felt his blade catch in a groove of Gangrel's sword, just as Falchion had earlier. Gangrel smiled as he felt the same thing, and tried the same move again. Amadeus was expecting it, and as a result let go of his blade just before and swept his leg upwards with as much strength as he could, right into Gangrel's groin.

Gangrel staggered back, clearly shaken. Amadeus smiled to himself.

"I guess there won't be any more Mad Kings after you, Gangrel." He chanced another glance at Chrom. "And, for that matter, there won't be any more Mad Kings period." Gangrel made to get up, before he stopped abruptly. His mouth trembled as he tried to speak.

"You..will die...Plegia..will have..its...revenge…" Gangrel managed to rasp out.

"For Emm." Chrom's voice rang out over Gangrel as he pushed the rest of Falchion into Gangrel. "Great kick, Amadeus; some parts are never well-protected enough, huh?" The first hint of a true smile since Emmeryn's death began to form on Chrom's face as he addressed his tactician and cleaned Falchion on a nearby brush.

"Huh? O-oh, yes, sir, haha." Chrom looked curiously at this odd response from his tactician, but his silence showed that he didn't want to press the issue. Amadeus had gone back to being lost in his thoughts.

_Thank goodness. I didn't fail again. Thank you, Chrom. You have no idea how much your faith in me means to me…my darkest fear is to let you down. _

* * *

Gangrel's army was finished, and the remaining Plegians quickly surrendered after the fall of their king. A ceasefire was agreed to, and the Shepherds reconvened and finally could relax. Chrom and Amadeus had finally left the battlefield, leaving Gangrel's corpse to the vultures. They returned to great cheers from the rest of the Shepherd. Amadeus smiled. It was time for some rest, finally. Although he couldn't shake some feeling that it wasn't over just yet, he shook it off and allowed himself to begin to share in the revelries.

Or, rather, they could rest after some politics. Flavia and Basilio called Amadeus and Chrom over, and they quickly discussed political terms. Plegia would pay reparations for the war; that was a given. A peace treaty was signed, and a messenger was dispatched to take the terms to Plegia's capitol. As they were wrapping up, a pegasus landed among them. Sumia leapt off the pegasus and ran up to Chrom.

_Wow, she didn't trip. _Amadeus thought absentmindedly.

"Captain!" It seemed as if Sumia had only seen Chrom, which, well, she had.

"Huh? Sumia?" Chrom turned around, surprised. Amadeus sighed to himself. _Gods, he could be so blind. _

"Oh, Captain, you're safe! I - we...were so worried…" She seemed to be on the verge of tears. She slowly walked towards Chrom, who seemed to still be frozen in shock. _I can't believe this. How can any man be this blind? _She stopped right in front of him, as if unsure what to do, and then suddenly flung her arms around him, sobbing.

"Captain...if we were to lose you...I couldn't..we couldn't…" She heaved into his chest. Chrom still stood there, frozen, his arms not even returning the hug, so shocked was he. Amadeus sighed.

"Khans? Let's...you know. Let them discuss their royal duties as king and queen." Flavia had to stifle a laugh, while Basilio didn't bother with hiding it, and the three quickly left the two lovebirds.

* * *

The Shepherds returned to Ylisstol to great fanfare. A messenger had delivered news of their victory and of Chrom's engagement, and the villagers had set up a celebration worthy of being recorded in the annals of history. There was newly hunted bear, chicken, beef, and lamb, and fresh vegetables galore, enough to feed the city three times over. Songs rang out through the night; classics from days past, and rather crude songs of much shorter origins. The party continued on and on, into the wee hours of the night, until finally, the crowds began to seek out the comfort of their rooms.

Amadeus sighed in contentment as he relaxed and leaned back in his chair, now alone with a book at a table after all the others had departed. This was perhaps the largest, most excellent celebration he could remember. _Well, it's the ONLY celebration I remember..but I'm sure it would have surpassed any in my old memory. _

He saw Chrom scanning the room, and realized he was looking for him. "Chrom! Over here."

Chrom snapped at the voice, and then smiled when he realized who it was. He walked over, gingerly stepping over the odd man who had passed out on the floor.

"Ah, Amadeus. I've upgraded your room. I'll tell you why tomorrow. Anyways, here's the key; the room's the one to the left of your old room."

"Alright. Thanks, Chrom."

"Yes. And if you have any questions...well...save them for tomorrow."

Amadeus winked at his friend. "Of course. You sleep well...or...well, you could always sleep in tomorrow."

Chrom flushed and stuttered, but couldn't think of a comeback. "Goodnight, friend." He walked back towards the entrance, where Sumia was waiting for him, and in seconds the two were gone.

Once Chrom was out of sight, Amadeus leaned back once again in his chair, soaking in the moment. For once, he could savor a victory, even for a little bit, although the little voice in his head wouldn't stop whispering to him. _If you were better, maybe Emmeryn could be here to share in this celebration…_

_No. Chrom was right. I did my best. _

_Maybe your best just isn't good enough. _

_Gah! Get out of my head!_

Amadeus shook his head vigorously, trying to block out the voice in his head, when he heard another, more familiar voice that made him smile.

"Hey, Amadeus, why are you shaking your head like that? Everything okay?" A knight still clad in his green armor approached and took the seat next to him.

"Oh, Stahl. Yea, I'm fine, just a bit..er...dizzy, you know, all that wine." Amadeus was glad he could quickly think of an excuse.

"Ah. Yes, it was quite good, wasn't it?"

Amadeus laughed in agreement. "Yes, yes it was. By the way, why are you still up? Isn't Maribelle going to be hacked off that you're not back yet?"

Stahl laughed at the mention of his girlfriend. "Ah, she'll be okay. Besides, I couldn't pass up all this food! You'd be surprised how much is still left at the buffet line."

Amadeus sighed. _Of course, with Stahl, it always comes back to food._ Stahl left the room, presumably to go back to the buffet line. As he left, Amadeus heard footsteps that seemed to be approaching him. His hand instinctively jumped to his sword hilt, before he saw a familiar tuft of unkempt, orange hair.

"Chill, it's just me." Gaius smiled, lollipop in his mouth. "So, what're you doing still up?" Amadeus took his hand off his sword hilt and leaned back once again in his chair.

"I don't really know, honestly. Just thinking about stuff. Why are YOU still up, Gaius? Pickpocketing the passed out drunks?" Judging by the way Gaius stiffened up, Amadeus had guessed right.

"Alright, you got me, Bubbles. But listen, it's not what you think. I was just taking candy off of them; if they're passed out, they can't eat them, and I can't let all those sweets go to waste!"

Amadeus sighed, but saw no point in arguing. Stahl returned, and as Amadeus had guessed, he had been to the buffet line. His plate was stuffed full of cold meat that had been left uneaten. The three sat in a comfortable silence, each enjoying the company of the other. Amadeus returned to his book, and missed the wink that passed between his two friends.

"So, Bubbles. What do you think of Chrom and Sumia?" Amadeus looked up from his book, taken aback by the question.

"Huh? I mean, we kind of all knew they were going to be together at some point..so I'm not really all that surprised, if that's what you meant."

Stahl looked up from his plate to answer. "That's not really what we meant...we meant what do you think of them as a couple?"

"Oh. Well, I don't know. They've been a couple for a day..but I guess they're cute together?" Amadeus was growing increasingly uncomfortable with where the conversation was headed, but he couldn't pinpoint why.

"HA! You're stalking them for tips! Bubbles, I never woulda thunk it." Gaius smirked and grinned evilly.

"Oh my, Amadeus. Quite the voyeur, aren't we? Are you picking up tips from them now?" Stahl mirrored Gaius' expression.

"SHUT UP!" Amadeus roared as he sprang up. Gaius and Stahl looked up, shocked at the volume that Amadeus's voice had just risen to. I just...have a lot on my mind. We won the war, but I lost us the next most important battle. And I can't help but feel that this whole thing isn't over yet.

An awkward silence fell between them. Stahl put a hand on Amadeus' shoulder.

"Hey, buddy. I know it's tough, but what happened with the Exalt wasn't your fault. And if you're worried about something happening in the future, well, it's in the future. We'll deal with it when it comes, like we have already."

"Yea, Bubbles. We'll be here for you. We're all part of your family now."

Amadeus sat back down. "Thanks, guys. You...don't know how much that means to me. I have no memory of anything, and I'm speaking literally when I say the Shepherds are the only family I've known."

Another awkward silence, before Gaius replied.

"We love you too, Bubbles."

* * *

**A/N: And there's the second chapter! As you can see, there's a lot of dialogue; after fleshing out Amadeus's character in the first chapter, I wanted to get a feel for how his personality bounced with other characters. I really didn't want to include Gaius, as many stories have already included him, but in this case, he seems to fit perfectly (despite my attempts to write him out. I literally tried every other male character plausible...but it was just better with him. So sue me. I tried, though.)**

**Thanks for the three reviews and the follow! **

**Gunlord500: Thanks, I'm glad you agreed with my starting point; I was pretty worried that it might not be a good idea, but I guess it worked!**

**Rain9905: I'm really leaning towards Avatar/Cordelia right now. Tharja's always kind of creeped me out, and with Lissa, it's not that I don't like her; she's cute and all, but she just seems..i dunno, a bit young? I don't know if I'd really be too comfortable with that.**

**Yellow di Viridian Grove: Like I said, I'm really leaning towards Avatar/Cordelia right now, so hopefully you'll be happy to hear that! **

**As to why I'm leaning that way, I'll explain here. A few of my friends who played this with me said that Cordelia reminded them of me; apparently, I'm similar to her in quite a few ways (obviously, not the red hair). Anyways, after hearing that, I thought it would be interesting to try to, in a sense, observe myself from another character's point of view. I also think that Cordelia is a great character, and there aren't enough Avatar/Cordelia fanfics out there. **

**Also, with Amadeus' paranoid nature and his constant fear of not being good enough...well, put that with Cordelia's drive for perfectionism, and there's a lot of potential there. Should be fun :) **

**BUT, it's not set in stone yet. If you guys have any other suggestions, feel free to let me know, and if you disagree, please let me know as well!**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review! Constructive criticism is always appreciated, this IS a community where we can share our ideas and also help each other get better at writing :)**

**Next chapter will begin to lay the beginning hints of the romantic side of the story, so stay tuned!**

**UPDATE: I changed the last bit; I felt like this was a better way to end it. I don't think I saw any views as of yet, since I posted this around 2 or 3 am, so if someone read it before, just letting you know it's been edited, just the last bit. **


	3. Chapter 3

A year and a half passed from the end of the Plegian war. The Shepherds did not see any real action, outside of the occasional Risen camp that popped up, but then those were simple battles for the experienced Shepherds, and they were few and far between.

It was a golden period for Ylisse. Chrom and Sumia had wed, and they ruled over Ylisse with the grace that Emmeryn had before them. They'd even given birth to a beautiful baby princess, whom they named Lucina, and who had become the pride and joy not only of her parents, but of all of Ylisstol as well.

Despite the period of peace, Amadeus never let himself get too comfortable. Chrom had named Grandmaster of the Ylissean Shepherds, and also Chief Advisor, and although his only official duties were to fill out political paperwork and to advise Chrom, he spent his spare time diving into old manuscripts of legendary heroes, furthering his knowledge of tactics and strategies while also looking for hints to his past.

He was deep into _The Twelve Years War: An Analytical Perspective_ when Chrom walked into his room.

"Ah, Amadeus. You busy right now?" Chrom had a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Uh, not really, why?" Amadeus answered, marking the page and closing the book.

"Good, come with me." He motioned for Amadeus to follow, and he did, wondering just what his friend was up to.

They left the castle to the yards behind, and Amadeus had had enough of the ruse.

"Alright, Chrom, what are you - oh my." Amadeus stopped in his tracks. Before him, tied to a tree, was a baby wyvern, tied to a tree. His mouth dropped open in shock as he stared at it.

"Yes. A wyvern. Guards found it nearby. Anyway, certain...intelligence tells me you desire to become a wyvern lord, and if that is your wish, you'll need to tame a wyvern first...I'll leave the introductions to you two."

And so Chrom left, and it was just Amadeus and the wyvern. He'd read in the books how wyverns were not naturally tamed beasts, and the greatest challenge to becoming a wyvern rider lay in taming and befriending one.

Amadeus studied the specimen before him. It was small, being a baby; it must have wandered away from its family. Its scales were also a different color from most wyverns; instead of the typical pitch black, this wyvern's scales were tinted a brilliant, prismatic purple.

He approached slowly, carefully; he knew that even babies could be fierce, even though their bodies weren't fully developed. The wyvern had been watching him with intense eyes, getting on its feet as Amadeus got closer. The line lay loose on the floor, signaling to Amadeus that he was now within range of the wyvern. He tensed his body, preparing himself for an attack. What happened next caught him completely off guard.

The wyvern slowly approached him, eyes never leaving his. It reached his feet and paused for a moment, before promptly laying down on them. Amadeus was taken aback. "Err…I was expecting more of a fight. But this works too," He said to no one in particular. He gingerly sat down so as not to wake the resting wyvern, but try as he might, he couldn't. The wyvern woke up and gave a brief yelp. "Sorry, sorry!" The wyvern got up again, and climbed into the sitting tactician's lap, where it promptly fell asleep.

"Well, at least I brought a book. Sleep tight...Aster." The name came from his lips, unbidden. The little wyvern in his lap seemed to respond to it, nuzzling against his stomach and curling up against him. Amadeus smiled to himself as the wyvern slept on.

* * *

Over the next half year, Amadeus bonded with Aster and watched as she grew from a tiny baby that fit in his lap to a full-sized wyvern. She was slightly smaller than most, but none the less vicious, although she seemed to be much more tame than most wyverns (at least from what Amadeus could tell). Amadeus continued his studies, and life moved on as it had since the time of peace had began. He filled his time with paperwork, studying, and learning to fly on Aster, still keeping himself prepared for when the impending strife he felt came to pass.

A loud knock on the door. "Come in."

The king of Ylisse entered his room. "Ah, Amadeus. Reading?"

"Yes, sir. I've told you before, I will stay vigilant despite the peace; you never know what could come."

"Well, it seems your gut feeling was right. What have you read about Valm?"

Amadeus thought for a moment.

"Well, they're a small country on the other side of the ocean, so there aren't exactly many books about them. That's probably the extent of my knowledge."

Chrom nodded slowly before proceeding. "Well, Feroxi scouts have spotted Valmese battleships on the horizon. They've requested the aid of Ylisse, and the ships are expected to make landfall in two days."  
"Of course. It would be an honor to repay the debt we owe Ferox from the Plegian War."

"Yes. I'll be mobilizing the Shepherds, as well as the army. Also, a recommendation from Frederick: he says you should get up to snuff with a lance."

"Yes, of course." Amadeus inwardly cursed at himself for overlooking what Chrom had just spoken. Now he had two days to learn how to fight with a completely new weapon.

"Anyways, you should head to the armory. I've already put in the order for your armor, and it should be done by now. Then you can go to the training grounds to begin your lance practice. Oh, and, don't get yourself a real lance quite yet; let me handle that for you."

Amadeus nodded and bid Chrom farewell. He slowly draped his cloak over his shoulders and walked out as well.

The blacksmith was busy, as Amadeus had guessed; with the new battle coming up, orders for new equipment must have skyrocketed. He found a bag with his name written on it, and took out the contents to see his new armor.

He gasped at what he took out. The armor was incredibly light, but he could tell that it was made of well fortified plate. It was tinted with a deep midnight purple that was almost black. The shoulder blades curled up at their tips, helm was black, with wing designs on either side and a T-shaped opening for his eyes and mouth. _Chrom...thank you. _

He quickly packed up the armor and brought it back to his room, before walking to the training grounds, where Frederick was waiting for him.

"Frederick! I guess you'll be teaching me the basics of lancing today?"

Frederick grunted in agreement while tossing a blunted practice lance to Amadeus. "Amadeus, do you have any experience with a lance?"

"Eh, a little bit. I do know how to hold one, though." He adjusted his grip on the lance.

"Very well. Let us get our practice armor on, and then we can begin."

The two of them set down their lances and proceeded to put on the flimsy leather practice gear. It was thick and heavy, but for the purposes of practice, would protect the more fragile points of the body. Otherwise, the blunt weapons would do little harm.

Frederick drew a ring with the stock of his lance before turning to Amadeus.

"En garde!" He charged at Amadeus, who tried to parry the thrust, only to find his stock snapped in half.

"That works with a sword, but not a lance. The only blade is at the tip; if you were to block with your stock, blades will slice right through it. Again."

He charged again, and Amadeus leapt to the side to dodge the blow, whirling the lance around for a counter-strike - before he fell to the ground, losing his balance. Frederick walked over and offered him a hand up. "I can see you're still fighting as if with a sword. The balance point of a lance is near the tip; the blade weighs much more than the staff, therefore the center of gravity is shifted towards it. You'll need to widen your stance, as well; lances are not meant to be swung constantly like swords. The further balance point will throw you off balance if you attempt such a maneuver."

Amadeus nodded. _Gods, I definitely should have just practiced earlier. How did I overlook this? At least I'll still have my magic..but I'll be a hindrance in battle at this rate._

He and Frederick continued sparring for what felt like forever. Finally, Frederick called for a water break. Amadeus put down the battle lance, his hands calloused from the rough wooden handle, and took out his canteen and drank deeply.

"I think that's enough work for today. Now, to finish, let's have a practice battle."

"Frederick, you've knocked me down at least forty times today, I've knocked myself down another forty times, and in all those falls, I've hit you once." It wasn't an exaggeration; Amadeus could feel the bruises that would litter his body the next day.

"Oh, you won't be dueling me. And anyways, near the end, you were getting much better." At this, Amadeus looked up to see a familair plume of red hair.

"Ah, Cordelia. As if that's any easier," he muttered to himself.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it. I must clear the streets of any rocks for the royal family's excursion back to the castle for tonight." Frederick left, and the two watched him go.

"Well, let's get started? I'm sure Frederick has told you the basics, and it is late, so why don't we just spar. First one to get knocked out of the ring twice loses?"

"All right, Cordelia. Sounds good to me. But it's not going to be any fun for you, you're just going to destroy me."

She laughed. "Give yourself more credit; you've literally worked with the lance for one day. Ready?" She'd moved to the other side of the ring, and had her lance out and at the ready.

"Ready." The two circled the ring, Cordelia clearly waiting for Amadeus to strike first. At that moment, Amadeus heard footsteps approaching, but kept his focus on the ring. Cordelia did, as well, but when her eyes shifted for a fraction of a second, Amadeus charged forward with his lance, landing a resound _thud _against Cordelia's practice armor and knocking her backwards out of the ring. He hurried over and offered a hand to help her up, which she took.

"You all right? What'd you see over there?" Amadeus gestured towards where her eyes had shifted during the duel.

"Oh..um…" She seemed in a daze, and she sighed deeply. "I saw...er...Sumia." That was all Amadeus needed to know. Cordelia's infatuation with Chrom was common knowledge. _So that was why she was so distracted. _He wasn't sure what to say, so he simply pulled her up to her feet.

"Well, it's getting dark now. We should head back." She nodded, still clearly in a daze. He felt like he should say something more, but he didn't know what. Before he could think, he blurted out, "Also, if you ever want to talk, you know, about anything, I'm always available." This seemed to knock her out of her trance, and she flashed him a dazzling smile. "Thanks, Amadeus. I'll keep that in mind. I'll see you around!" And then she was gone. _Wow. She has such a beautiful smile..if only she smiled more, _Amadeus found himself thinking absentmindedly to himself. He retired to his quarters for the night to read, but he couldn't focus. Her smile stayed in his head, taking over his vision whenever he wasn't careful. That night, he dreamed of a certain red-haired lady.

* * *

They would be marching to Regna Ferox early the next morning, so preparations were in order. Tents, camping supplies, rations were stuffed onto the convoy, and blades and armor were sharpened and honed. Amadeus still didn't have a lance of his own, remembering that Chrom had told him not to get one. He was beginning to wonder if he should just go to the blacksmith and request a simple iron lance, when Chrom tapped him on the shoulder.

"Amadeus! I have your lance for you. Come with me." Chrom led him back into the castle, and down a flight of stairs into a basement.

"Er..Chrom, where exactly is this?"

"It's the castle stores. We keep some..rather special items here."  
Chrom disappeared into the darkness for a second, and returned with something in his hand. It was a lance, but of the likes that Amadeus had never seen before. His eyes widened at it.

"This is the Gae Bolg. It is a lance of legend, and a holy blade. It has sat here waiting for someone worthy of wielding it, and now that someone is here." Chrom pushed the lance towards Amadeus, who caught it.

"Chrom..I can't this lance is meant for legendary warriors!"

"Yes, exactly."

"Chrom, I've fought with a lance for ONE day."

"And apparently, you're pretty good. Apparently you landed a hit on Cordelia. That's no small feat for a day's experience."

"It-you don't understand!"

"Amadeus, if you don't take it, I'm going to ORDER you to take it."

"I-fine. I accept. Thank you, Chrom."

"Great! Now just pack that in with your belongings, and we can head out tomorrow morning after I've said goodbye to Sumia."

_Sumia's not coming? Good luck with that, Chrom. _

"What was that?" Apparently Amadeus' thoughts were louder than he believed.

"Er..never mind."

* * *

Amadeus was preparing to sleep. As he passed the throne room on his way back to his room, after grabbing some books from the library for the journey, he heard the distinct sound of voices yelling. He moved closer to the door to get a better idea of what was going on behind it.

"...can't just LEAVE me here while you're out there fighting!"

_Oh. An argument between the king and the queen? Good luck, my friend. This is going to be good._

"But Lucina is hardly even half a year old! She needs her mother here to raise her!"

"Lucina can be wet-nursed! You said yourself that it was the tradition!"

_Oh, Chrom. You've backed yourself into a corner now. _

"B-but, I want to keep you safe!"

"And wouldn't that be easier if I'm close by?" Sumia had certainly grown into her role as a royal figure, Amadeus had to admit to himself. It was hard to see her as the self-conscious klutz he had known a mere two years ago.

"B-but," Chrom sputtered. He could tell he was going to lose. Amadeus smiled to himself. He'd never really given Chrom a chance at keeping Sumia home; like Chrom had told him before, that girl did have a knack for getting her way.

* * *

Alone in his room, Amadeus lay on his cot and closed his eyes to get some sleep. He'd been busy all day what with preparing for the march and the upcoming battle, so he hadn't had much time to think. Finally in solitude, his mind began to wander. He saw Cordelia again, and saw her turn her head and smile at him, her beautiful hair swinging around as she turned. He saw them together, and that beautiful smile dominating her features, instead of a constant sigh. But then he saw Chrom, and he saw himself, reaching after a red-haired lady as she reached for the blue-haired man. He shuddered at this image. _No. She's in love with someone else. It would never work. Amadeus, stop yourself, before you become just like her..._

* * *

**A/N: There's the next chapter! You can see where the romance is headed. (Read the note for last chapter if you want to know why I chose Avatar/Cordelia). There's some parts I'm honestly not too happy with yet for this chapter..I'll probably go back and change some stuff up at some point. **

**I really wanted the Avatar to be a Wyvern Lord. I've always enjoyed aerial units, and although a wyvern lord and pegasus knight aren't the best pairing, I still think that the combination has a lot of potential for writing further down the road. It was kind of hard to implement it, though; I hope that what I did wasn't TOO far-fetched.**

**Also, the name of his dragon comes from the genus of a flower that I think is really pretty, the purple aster. I also made his dragon purple because I wanted it to stand out. **

**Hopefully, you guys also caught the very explicit reference to How to Train Your Dragon; I thought it'd be a fun one that most people would recognize, and it also seemed to fit very well. **

**Otherwise, yea, that's all I have to say about this chapter! Rest assured, it will be improved on.**

**Next chapter will talk of the march to Regna Ferox, their first encounter with the Valmese, and Amadeus trying desperately to control his rapidly growing feelings for Cordelia!**

**Also, thanks for the follows and reviews! Keep them up, please, as they motivate me to write :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Meant to finish this yesterday, but I ended up in the hospital with a intestinal obstruction. Make sure to eat healthy, guys!**

* * *

It was a bit past midday. The Shepherds had marched since the break of dawn, and had almost reached the Feroxi border.

"Amadeus! Care to fly ahead and let Raimi know we're coming? So we don't get a repeat of last time?" Chrom called over to the grandmaster.

"Of course." Amadeus nodded and turned to Aster, who had been napping beside him. He'd found that he enjoyed marching a decent amount more when he was riding his trusty wyvern, who glided through the air almost effortlessly.

"Alright, girl, let's go." Aster snorted, but didn't move. "What? C'mon, I said let's get going. Hyah!" Still, the amethyst wyvern didn't budge. She turned to her head at her rider, as if reprimanding him for forgetting something. Amadeus sighed and threw his hands in the air. "You just ate lunch!" He slid off her back anyway and walked towards the rations tent.

"Honestly, that wyvern...Ow! Dammit!" Amadeus had cut his arm on a wayward branch, and blood streamed out of it. "Gah! I used up my salve already...what to do, what to do?"

"You're not out of salve. I restocked your medical supplies this morning," a familiar female voice said from behind him.

"Oh, you did? That's great. Thanks, Cordelia. You never miss a detail, do you?"

She shook her head. "I just like to stay on top of things. By taking stock of everyone's equipment, I know when anything needs replacing. Just like your salve."

Amadeus' eyes widened. "Wait, you keep track of EVERYONE's equipment? All in your HEAD? You don't even write it down?"

Cordelia let out a small laugh. "Well, of course. Imagine the chaos if our potions and equipment ran out at the same time."

Amadeus grimaced. "Gods, I never knew. No wonder everyone calls you a genius."

"Do not call me that!" Cordelia almost yelled back in response, and Amadeus took a step back, slightly taken aback by the outburst.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that! Honest!" Amadeus tried to mollify the suddenly animated knight.

"No...of course you didn't. I'm sorry. Anyways, you have salve now, so I'd recommend getting that wound covered." She walked off, letting out another deep sigh.

As his eyes followed her out the door, his thoughts fought their own battle with themselves.

_Gods, every time she sighs I can feel it in my own heart. I wish I could take away those sighs...but I'm not the one who can. Only one man could make her smile…and it's not me. _

_Stop thinking about her. It's only going to bring you pain..stop seeing her and forget this madness before it consumes you. _

_But I can't. And she was the one who came to me today…_ His heart fluttered at this thought, until he remembered what he was doing.

Amadeus snapped himself out of his lull and got back to the task at hand.

He'd finally found a portion of bear meat for Aster, who was waiting impatiently for him. Seeing the morsel, she instantly perked up, and in a prismatic purple flash, they were in the air. Once Aster began gliding, Amadeus took out the salve from his pouch and lifted his shoulder armor to dress the cut on his arm.

About an hour later, Amadeus could see the ramparts of the Longfort before him. They would be there in minutes. He suddenly heard wings beating behind him, and his grip tightened on the Gae Bolg, wary of an attack. He turned to face his accoster, only to see a familiar face.

"Ah, Cordelia. What brings you up here? I'm just going ahead to alert the khans that we will be arriving soon."

Amadeus quickly turned around so that Cordelia wouldn't see him blushing. He had drawn an inordinate amount of happiness at being approached by the object of his affection twice in such a short span.

"Oh, well, I was going to go talk to you, but it was right when you took off, so I got my pegasus and followed. I wanted to apologize for earlier, when I yelled at you for calling me a genius; I know you didn't mean it, and I shouldn't have overreacted. For that, I'm sorry."

Amadeus smiled to himself. "Oh, that's quite alright. I can take getting yelled at, you know. " Cordelia laughed lightly, and the two lapsed into silence as they flew together.

In just a few minutes, they'd reached the Longfort. Raimi approached, and, seeing who it was, called off the guard.

"Raimi! Glad to see you're doing well." Amadeus greeted the Feroxi knight. "The Shepherds and the Ylissean army will be here by evening. Could you let Khans Flavia and Basilio know?"

"Of course." Raimi saluted and disappeared back into the fort.

"Well then, Cordelia, shall we head back?" Amadeus turned his wyvern around to face the direction they'd just came from.

The pegasus knight seemed deep in thought, so Amadeus slid off his wyvern and moved to her side. "Aster, wait a minute." With what he could have sworn was a wyvern version of an eyeroll, Aster huffed and lay down on the side of the road, keeping an eye out for intruders. "Cordelia, you okay?" He put a hand on her shoulder, and it snapped her out of her trance.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking for a moment. Er...do you think we could walk part of the way back actually?" Amadeus found this strange, but consented anyways. "Alright. Everything okay?"

She nodded. "Just..have a lot on my mind I guess. I feel really bad for yelling at you earlier, so I was hoping we could talk about it? You did say that I could talk to you about things…" She trailed off, but her eyes looked earnestly towards Amadeus.

"Oh, yes, of course. Er..well?" They began walking back down the road towards the rest of the Shepherds. Aster saw them moving, and with a few loud stomps, began following, as did Cordelia's pegasus (albeit without the stomps).

Cordelia took a deep breath, and the words began tumbling out. "When I first joined the pegasus knights, they teased me and taunted me because of my abilities. Little Lady Genius, names like that, they called me. It was endless mockery…"

"Gods! I had no idea the pegasus knights could be so..spiteful!" Amadeus was genuinely shocked, and his face showed it as Cordelia nodded and went on. "But..despite all that, well, you know the story, don't you?" Cordelia seemed almost in tears. Amadeus shook his head, and she composed herself before speaking once more. "Of how the pegasus knights gave their lives, so that I might escape and warn the Shepherds?" Furion gave himself a mental slap across the face. _How could you forget that?_

"Gods, no! I mean, I heard the story, but I didn't realize...they were the same people that were hazing you when you first joined the pegasus knights?" A tearful nod greeted the tactician, and he reached out to pat her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Cordelia. I didn't understand till now." The knight shook her head vigorously, red hair flying. "No, no, Amadeus, it's not your fault. It's partly my fault for how I expressed it."

"No, Cordelia. I understand now why being called a genius affects you so." Cordelia looked up in surprise.

"Oh?"

Amadeus chuckled to himself before saying what was on his mind. "Remember how you chewed my ear off for calling you that? I thought it reminded you of the insults and hazing, because you took it sarcastically. But you realized, and I just now realized, that when your fellow knights told you to flee, they actually meant what they said about you being a genius. They'd realized your talent, and they valued it enough to give their own lives, and that's what makes you sensitive about being called a genius. Right?" He must have hit it on the nail, because Cordelia had stopped walking as the tears welling in her eyes morphed into torrential streams running down her cheeks.

"H-how did you f-figure all that out?" She asked between choking sobs.

"Well, I was blessed with the insight that good friends share," Amadeus replied with a smile as he held her close and comforted her.

"F-friends? Are we really?" She looked up at him, and he could see a glint of hope in her eyes through the teras.

"Er...yes? Is that so hard to believe?" She nodded.

"D-do you really think so?"

"Um..yes? Am I missing something here?"

"N-no, sorry." She sniffed again, and Amadeus reached into his pocket, hoping his handkerchief was there. He groped around for a second before fishing it out and handing it to her. _Oh, well that was good._ "I just grew accustomed to not really having any..I was the youngest of the pegasus knights, so I had no real friends."

"Oh..I'm sorry." Amadeus was lost for words. Who would have known that she had such a background? They paused once more in the road as he held her in his arms, comforting her with his presence, while knowing that nothing could ever happen between them.

_SNORT. _A distinct noise sounded from behind them, and the two jumped apart. Aster had come from behind, as if to remind them to get a move on. Amadeus sighed to himself. Even though he knew that he was drawing too much from the moment, he'd wanted it to last forever. He reluctantly clambered onto his mount and watched Cordelia do the same.

"Shall we, then?" He nodded, and the two took off into the air.

* * *

When they reached Regna Ferox with the rest of the army, Flavia and Basilio greeted them warmly before getting right to business. Amadeus, Chrom, Flavia, and Basilio moved to an adjacent room, where Flavia took out a map of Port Ferox. Amadeus studied it carefully.

"Luckily, there's only two landing sites, which means that they can only unload their soldiers so quickly. That negates any real numbers advantage they might have, at least at first." The other three nodded. "Also, I'm assuming they'll have a general, or a leader of some sort. If they're on the ships, perhaps we could fly over and try to drop some Shepherds onto the ships. I would think four of us would be enough to take out a ship of Valmese. Without their leader, the army is bound to fall into disarray, and there would be deserters and the such, so much of our work would be done for us."

Flavia nodded in agreement, as did Chrom. Basilio let out a grunt of agreement, before giving Amadeus a pat on the back. Amadeus winced as the Khan addressed him. "Well said, boy! Now let's go kick some Valmese-"

"Yes, we get it, oaf. Let's get going." Flavia had slapped Basilio before he could finish what he was saying.

* * *

Amadeus pulled on Aster's reigns, and the two entered a dive into a heavily concentrated Valmese group. Arrows zipped by, but the wyvern was too quick as she weaved and dodged through the air. As Aster dodged, Amadeus held on with one hand, while with the other he sent out wicked bolts of lightning and fire to smite the troops below. In seconds, the pair had landed, and Amadeus drew his lance from his back. They fought viciously, the man thrusting and stabbing, while the wyvern raked with her claws and spat fire from her mouth. What had been a Valmese bunker was quickly reduced to nothing, and the path was now clear to the general's boat.

"Chrom! I'm going for him!" He yelled at the king, who nodded while Falchion cut through yet another Valmese cavalier. Amadeus climbed back onto Aster, and was about to take off when he felt a soft hand on his back.

"Amadeus! Let me go with you." It was Cordelia. He nodded, and the two flew off. Amadeus counted about five guard around the general, as well as a hostage. He pulled on the reigns once more, and began his descent. He decided that subtlety would not be the key here. "Cordelia! Let's get in there." She nodded, and the two began to descend. About ten feet from the ground, he jumped off from Aster's back. His aim was true, and he landed right in front of the guards.

Before they could react, he'd already cast his spell. "Arcthunder!" A continuous stream of thunder emitted from his hand, obliterating the five guards and leaving the path clear to the leader.

Seeing the tactician before him, Dalton turned his lance on the hapless villager.

"N-no, please! Sir Dalton! I haven't done anything wrong! Please!"

"You are pathetic. Only the weak beg." The general ran through the poor villager, to Amadeus' shock. He then turned to Amadeus.

"You are nothing compared to the Conqueror! A speck of sand littering the boot of the Empire! And you will follow this hopeless fool into the afterlife!"

Amadeus could feel his blood rising after seeing the heartless killing of an innocent.

"DALTON! You will not leave this boat alive." He drew the Gae Bolg and got into his ready stance.

The Valmese general only smiled and whistled. Amadeus could hear rumbling beneath them. _Oh. Gods, there are more reinforcements underneath...this might be bad._ Amadeus and Cordelia stood back to back, wielding their lances to keep their enemies at range.

"ATTACK!" The circle suddenly closed on them. They fought furiously, in tandem, with Cordelia's lance slicing a path of death through the incoming guards, and Amadeus switching between his lance and his tome with ease.

Soon, they'd obliterated each and every last one of the Valmese on the ship, except for Dalton.

Amadeus turned, and grinned at him before charging and managing to land a glancing blow to his midsection, knocking him off his mount.

Once Dalton had gotten up, the two dueled. They circled around in their imaginary ring, almost as if sparring, except this time the blades were real and the consequences more dire. They probed and probed, thrusting, parrying, waiting for an opening to reveal itself.

Dalton was so focused on the purple armor-clad tactician before him that he forgot about the pegasus knight behind him, at least until she sunk her lance into his back.

"Good plan, huh? Worked on Gangrel too." He smiled at her.

"Heh. I guess we make a good team." He could feel his face turning red at this, so he turned around and whistled for Aster, who flew towards the ship.

_Gods, you're supposed to be staying away from her, not flirting with her and fighting with her. _But he couldn't help it; he was just too damn attracted to her, and, like she had said, they made a good team.

"Amadeus? Let's get back and regroup with everyone." He nodded, and they left the ship.

* * *

They returned to a grim scene. They had fended off the attack, but the town was in shambles. Buildings were destroyed or burning, and the corpses of friend and foe littered the ground. Although the Shepherds had suffered no casualties, the same could not be said for the Feroxi army.

Amadeus and Cordelia congregated with the Shepherds, before Chrom called Amadeus to a emergency meeting. "I'll see you later, Cordelia. Good fighting today." He followed, but could hear Cordelia's distinct sigh behind him. _Her Chrom-sigh, he called it; that sad, miserable breath of air that escaped her lips every time the king was around and did not notice her. _

He entered the tent to find Basilio and Flavia. "Ah, boy. There's no way we could face their entire army..this was just a vanguard. If the rumors are true, and their army numbers in the thousands...there's no way we could defeat them, much less defend our people."

"And once they come, they'll take over the continent in weeks. There's nothing we can do to stop them.."

Amadeus suddenly had an idea. There was a twinkle in his eye as he cleared his throat.

"Their greatest advantage is their cavalry...which puts them at an advantage on LAND. But they're coming by sea...and we can catch them at SEA, where they don't have an advantage.."

Chrom looked up, catching on to the plan. "But where will we get ships? Ylisse has no warships; nor does Regna Ferox."

Flavia pointed at the map. "But, a certain kingdom neighboring the sea, and with full coffers…"

Amadeus nodded. "Plegia."

Chrom shook with vitriol. "No. Absolutely not. Any other kingdom."

Basilio grabbed Chrom and shook him with two arms. "Use your brains, boy! If we don't take their aid, then we can kiss our continent goodbye, and there'll be no more Ylisse OR Regna Ferox OR Plegia! They'll all be under this Conqueror!"

Chrom sighed, finally coming to his senses. "Fine. Send a messenger. We'll meet with them as soon as possible."

* * *

**There! I think this is a good starting point for Amadeus and Cordelia getting closer; when they're on the ships, that's when you'll see the dynamic really taking off! (But, of course, with their combined lack of experience in terms of relationships, they'll be clueless for at least another couple chapters..I'm not really sure how they're going to end up together yet, but they will soon) **

**Reudabega Prime: Thanks for the compliments! Had I seen your post earlier, Flavia definitely would have been a possible candidate...but alas, I'd already started developing the plot with Cordelia :( sorry! Hope you'll still read and enjoy this, though :)**

**Rain9905: Yes, Aster is adorable, isn't she? I like the idea of mounts as more like pets rather than just war animals, and so I've tried to give Aster some more personality. As you can probably tell, she's pretty sassy, but awesome all the same. I tried to base her personality off of my own dog at home (but no, she's not purple. She's actually a golden husky, and she's the cutest thing in the world) I don't want to focus on her TOO much, though; she's really more like a fun aspect of the story that serves to bring some smiles to readers, especially those who have pets.**

**Azrael-von-Gruber: Yes, I really like this pairing too! And I'm glad that you like the wyvern lord :) hope you'll keep reading as I update!**

**Guest reviewer: I can see why you'd think it's a bit choppy; that's something that I've been trying to improve on as I get more and more experience writing (this IS my first fanfiction, after all.). Also, yes, I haven't seen anyone use a wyvern lord for their avatar yet either; should be fun! Hope you'll stick with me for the ride :) **

**Thanks again for the multiple follows and reviews! I'll try to keep responding to the reviews, so keep them coming :) I've noticed that more reviews come when I focus on the romance..so I can see what you guys prefer to be reading about. I'll try to keep that in mind, but hopefully you can tell that the focus is shifting more and more (probably because the Avatar has a much more interesting personal life when there's a significant other involved). **

**Anyways, next chapter, feelings will deepen both ways (but both will be unaware of the other's feelings) as they are stuck on a ship together, and Amadeus has his first prophetic bad dream; also, they will reach the Mila Tree, where there will be a huge deviation from the game's plot!**

***Caught a typo; sense instead of sense in the last line. woops :P**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I took out the major plot twist...it was too hard to write onwards and would have made the story seem awkward. I was going to have her be killed by Valmese forces, but since the Shepherds won't be fighting Grima for a long time, the idea I had for how they could still have a figure of Naga to rally around wouldn't really work. Sorry!**

* * *

The ships from Plegia had arrived. A thousand warships, and four hundred transports. Amadeus and Chrom stood at Port Ferox, stunned by the sheer mass of ships that floated before them.

They split the forces up among the ships accordingly. Because of the massive number of transports, they could afford to divvy up the forces more generously; the ships weren't cramped at all, and actually were rather spacious in regards to the number of people on board.

The Valmese coast was at best a two week trip. Amadeus had thought it would be fun to be out on the sea, but he quickly regretted the sentiment. It wasn't that the ship was cramped or stuffy; on the contrary, the fresh sea breeze was comforting and did wonders for his head, especially after he'd had repeating dreams of Validar. However, there was only so much one could do on a ship. Amadeus had never thought he'd run out of books to read, but that day came as well.

One thing he did enjoy, however, was the ample time that he spent with Cordelia. Aster and Cherche's wyvern, Minerva, as well as the pegasi, had been stowed on one of the transports; each morning, Aster would dutifully fly over to Amadeus, and ferry him and Cordelia back to the transport to feed her pegasus, whose name she had revealed to be Hermes. Amadeus would teach Cordelia about the nuances of caring for Aster, while she taught him the same for Hermes. When Cordelia had scouting duties, he would get on Hermes, and they'd scout together, with him clinging on to the waist of the one he loved.

Although Amadeus knew that he was only driving himself towards the miserable ending he had seen before in his dreams, he couldn't help himself; he had nothing else to do on the ship, and he immensely enjoyed the amount of time that they could spend together.

Today was no different. He awoke to find Cordelia waiting for him on the bow of the ship, and waved.

"Morning, Cordelia." She turned. _Gods, that smile…_

"Morning, Amadeus. Beautiful day today, no?" She fidgeted with her glove. "Where's Aster?"

Amadeus whistled, and there was a happy roar as a purple dragon dropped from the sky. She nuzzled her head against Amadeus' outstretched hand before turning her head towards Cordelia, mouth open. Cordelia smiled, as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a chunk of dried chicken. "No, I haven't forgotten you, girl. Here you go." She held out the meat to the wyvern, who gingerly licked it off of her palm before chewing it noisily. Amadeus hopped onto Aster's back, and held out his hand for Cordelia to take. He'd never done it before, as she was more nimble than him and he knew she didn't need his help. She paused for a moment, seeing his hand there, before she took it and pulled herself up, and then wrapped her arms around his waist. He closed his eyes, trying to imprint the feeling into his mind forever. _These two weeks are probably going to be the only time this will ever happen...once we're not cooped on the same boat anymore, things will go back to what they were before. _He sighed, desperately trying to get rid of the blaze on his cheeks. They were about to lift off, when Chrom ambled out onto the deck.

"Amadeus! Valmese battleships have been sighted on the horizon!"

"Shoot. Strategy meeting now, then?" He mused to himself at this development. He had suggested meeting the Valmese on sea...maybe this would work.

"Yes. Here, I'll give you a hand down." He proffered his hand, and Amadeus took it as he slid off Aster. "Cordelia, need a hand as well?" Amadeus heard behind his back. He'd desperately tried to get away before Chrom could help Cordelia off. _I know what's going to happen..he's going to help her off like it's nothing, and she's going to let out another deep sigh because of the physical contact, verifying that she loves Chrom and could never love me._

As if on cue, he heard the sound of her boots meeting on deck, and as Chrom caught up to him, he caught that distinct _sigh _behind him as she followed.

* * *

Frederick spoke grimly. "Sumia spotted Valmese ships coming our way while she was scouting this morning. Their warriors..vastly outnumber ours."

Flavia spoke up. "I know what you're thinking, Chrom, but there's no way we'd be able to win if we boarded and fought them straight. No matter the difference in skill, we'd be outdone by sheer weight of numbers. However, Plegia was quite generous with oil…" Flavia glanced at the tactician. "If a brainy tactician would stop staring and use his head, perhaps he could find a use for it?"

Amadeus returned the glance, feeling his face flushing. Apparently, he'd been subconsciously staring out the window; Cordelia had just flown by. "I see…" He gathered his thoughts for a moment, before a familiar sparkle grew in his eye. "So we'd WANT our ships to be caught in the blaze," He said with a smile.

Basilio pounded the table. "WHAT? Boy, what are you-" He was interrupted by a resounding smack to his face.

"Oaf, unless you've got a better idea, you shut up and listen to Amadeus."

"...Very well. From experience, I know better than to question you, boy. Let's hear it."

Amadeus began. "Well, for this to work, we'd need to get a team onto their ship...preferably to finish off their leader. Normally, I'd have you lead, Chrom, since you are our most able fighter..but I cannot risk losing you, as you are the king of Ylisse. Not to mention Sumia would have my head…"

"Yes, I am the king. Therefore, I order you to let me lead the force."

"W-What? You can't do that..I make the plans! I should have authority here!"

"Nope. I'm leading. Carry on." Chrom wore a self-satisfied smirk at having outsmarted his tactician, for once.

"Gods, Chrom, I'm just trying to keep you ALIVE? Isn't that a good thing?" Chrom ignored him. "Alright, FINE. You'll lead the force…"

(line break)

Chrom, Sumia, Amadeus, Cordelia, Cherche, and Frederick prepared for the incoming Valmese ship. They knew it contained the general; they needed Sumia and Cordelia to get them onto the ship, from where they could take down the general. Amadeus hadn't called Aster for this battle; she'd have a hard time landing on the Valmese ships, which were long and narrow and not conducive to wyvern landings.

"Alright, then. Chrom, you'll fly over with Cordelia, I'll fly Sumia, and Frederick you can fly with Cherche."

Chrom smiled and patted Amadeus on the back. "And why am I not flying with my dear wife?"

Amadeus winced. He'd tried not to ride with Cordelia; he was afraid of distractions. "Er..well.." He cursed; he couldn't think of a real excuse.

"We'll be fine, don't worry. I'll go with Sumia. You can fly with Cordelia." He climbed onto Sumia's pegasus, just as Frederick was climbing onto Minerva, and the two took off. Cordelia's eyes followed Sumia and Chrom, and she sighed again.

"Well, shall we?"

"Yes, of course." He mounted Hermes.

"Hold on tight!" He held on to her waist, but not as tightly as before. He'd resolved that from this moment, he'd begin distancing himself from her. _I can't become a dithering lovesick idiot any more than I already have..I need to stay focused on my job in this army. _

"Alright, I'm going to let you down now, Amadeus. You ready?" She yelled over the screech of wind, and he nodded. "Keep an eye on my back? Aster normally would, but she's not here right now."

"Of course."

"Thanks."

"Alright...three..two...one...GO!" He let go of her waist and dropped. He fortuitously landed next to Chrom.

"Why hello there, old friend," he said with a grin as he drew his lance. Cordelia landed on his other side, and Sumia landed next to Chrom. The four advanced.

Valmese soldiers fell.

Frederick and Cherche were busy clearing out the other end of the ship, while Sumia and Cordelia took care of the other Valmese troops left on the ship, so Chrom and Amadeus advanced on the now isolated general.

"I am Ignatius, Commander-in-chief of the Conqueror's naval fleet! These seas are my home, arrogant pups, and you will drown in them!" He laughed madly as he readied his lance. He charged at Amadeus, who leapt back and easily landed a blow to the general's armor. It only bounced off, leaving Amadeus' wrists tingling from the impact.

"Gah! Chrom! His armor.." The two kept up the offensive, knowing that the general's thick armor slowed him down. They just couldn't break through.

Eventually, something had to give, and something did. Chrom swung Falchion at the general's side, and found his iron shield in the way. Falchion dug into it, and had become embedded in the shield. The general smiled at this development; Chrom was now effectively unarmed. He swung the handle of his lance at Chrom, which Chrom could only block with his hands, flourishing upwards and then bringing it back down with a loud _crack _on Chrom's head. Chrom fell to the floor, unconscious, with blood flowing from the impact.

Amadeus could feel the rage taking over his body. He could feel his blood boiling, and his vision swam with red.

"No! Chrom!" He cursed at his failure to account for the general's armor, and then he lost all sense of control. Ignatius had summoned more Valmese from below the decks, or they'd heard the commotion and had gotten their battle gear. He charged, lance whirling, stabbing, and thrusting, and he soon reached the general. Eyes wide, the general tried to back off from the madman charging at him, but lost his balance and fell backwards. Amadeus jumped on top of the fallen general, pulling off his helm, and, with a roar, plunged the lance into his head.

"Die...now.." He could feel consciousness slipping away. He saw Chrom getting up in his periphery, and smiled. _Thank the gods...I'm not responsible for two deaths in the exalted line…_

* * *

_A familiar sword whistled through the air at another familiar dark figure. Amadeus tried to get a good shot at the dark figure, the lightning brewing at his hands, ready to be fired at any second, but the two moved too quickly to get a clear shot. _

_Finally! Chrom had leapt backward, and he could shoot. The bolt zigzagged towards the dark figure, covering the distance faster than the blink of an eye, and he collapsed, dead. _

"_This..isn't over!" A purple bolt shot from his corpse towards Chrom, and Amadeus threw himself between the projectile and his friend. _

_He opened his eyes to see Chrom smiling at him. "Good shot, Amadeus. Now we can rest easy." Amadeus fell backwards suddenly, his vision blurring. _

"_Amadeus? What's-ungh.." Chrom fell back, a bolt of lightning piercing his stomach. Amadeus looked at his hand, and the lightning that was still there. "N-no..no.."_

"NO! CHROM!?" He awoke, breathing heavily, and sat up with a start, only to grimace in pain. "Ah! Ow!" He looked at his stomach and saw a scar that looked unsettlingly similar to a lance wound.

"Shh.." A reassuring, soft hand gently pushed him back into a recline. "You're not fully healed yet. Should I get Chrom?"

He looked to see who was at his bed. "Oh, Cordelia. How long was I out? And yes, could you get Chrom?"

She sighed deeply again. _Oh crap. I just sent her to fetch Chrom…bad move, bad move!_

"You've been out for almost a week. Your trick with the ships worked to perfection….not a single life lost on our part, and their entire fleet destroyed." He winced with guilt; he could picture the faces of the Valmese, seeing their lives ending right before their eyes...he shook it off. He'd deal with that later. "Anyways, I'll get Chrom now." She left, and as he followed her out, he realized he was back in a tent. They'd landed in Valm, then? And taken the port?

"Amadeus! Feeling better there?" Chrom entered, Cordelia behind him.

"Yea..what happened? I just remember passing out after I stabbed Ignatius…"

Chrom lifted an eyebrow. "You sure? You don't remember any..er..pain?"

"No...why?"

"Well, when you got on top of Ignatius, his spear also punctured your stomach. That's where the wound came from...and then you passed out from blood loss. Libra had to pull out the tip and then stop the bleeding, all on Cordelia's pegasus, too. She came down when she saw you passed out; we figured you wouldn't be able to finish the last part of your plan if you were unconscious, so she got you out of there."

Amadeus nodded. "Well then, what's our situation now? Er..where exactly are we?"

Chrom chuckled. "You've missed a lot, old friend. We captured the Valmese port, and found a Chon'sin woman named Say'ri. She says there's a resistance to Walhart, the Conqueror; perhaps if we could get to some place called the Mila Tree, and free the Voice of Naga which sleeps within, we can unite the Resistance and then perhaps our numbers would be greatly bolstered. We've decided to split our forces up. While we go and retrieve the Voice, our main army will go to recapture Rosanne. We will need to stay there for the winter, before we begin to mount an offensive against Walhart."

"Very well. Where is this Mila Tree?"

"It's quite a march; at least a week. We've been waiting for you to heal up."

Amadeus leaned his head back into his pillow. "Well..I think I'll be ready to go tomorrow."

"Alright, Amadeus. Don't rush yourself. We'll need you." He left.

Cordelia resumed her place next to his bed. "You feeling any better?"

Amadeus winced. "Yea..just a lot of stomach pain. And…" He trailed off. Did he really want to do this? Was he going to open his heart to this woman again?

"Yes? Is something the matter?" She looked up earnestly.

"Well…" and he found the words springing to his lips, unbidden. "How many lives did we end on the sea, Cordelia? How many of those Valmese soldiers are at the bottom of the sea, never to return home to their wives and children and family? How many households have we broken up, just today? Hundreds? Thousands? How can I live with myself, knowing that I have taken away lives from these people? How can I keep doing this, keep taking lives, when I know that each one I take fractures multiple innocent lives?"

Cordelia shushed him. "Amadeus. We're fighting for peace. Had they had the opportunity to, they would have ended your life without a second thought. These people's lives that we're taking, we have to. We have no choice. If we don't defeat them, they'll defeat us, and then they will topple everything that we've stood to protect. Sometimes, to protect the ones dearest to us, we have to take drastic, but necessary, measures."

Amadeus could feel tears coming to his eyes. _Great. Now he was going to cry like an emotional baby in front of his crush. _"But...although it is justified, it doesn't mean it's right. I can't just live with the fact that I've taken so many lives…"

"Amadeus. Stop." She scooted her chair closer to the cot, and held his head with her hands. "No one doubts your morality; they know that what you do is necessary. They know that you would never kill innocents if you can help it. Sometimes, outside forces threaten you and force your hand. You're doing what you need to in order to protect what you think is right. That's all you need to know that you should have no qualms about what you're doing. Like I said, we all believe in you. And if it means anything...I...I believe in you, Amadeus." She pulled him in closer in an awkward embrace, but he took comfort from her presence. They quickly broke apart, avoiding eye contact.

"Err...well, I'll I'm sure you're hungry. I'll grab you something to eat." She walked out the tent, just as Chrom returned.

"She hasn't left your side, you know. Ever since she picked you up from that ship. She's stayed watch over you until you woke up today." _Chrom...you have no idea. _"Anyways, I've brought some maps of the Mila Tree for you. When you feel up to it, feel free to study them. It's a long ways away anyways, so if you don't feel like starting until we march, that's fine too. I'm sure you'll have more than enough time to cook up a plan."

"Of course. I'll look at them right away."

* * *

Cordelia had continued to take care of him throughout the march; she was never too far away, and whenever he stumbled or winced, she'd be there to catch him. _Gods..I just want to distance myself from her, but she just keeps being amazing and pulling me closer…_

About two weeks later, they reached the base of the Mila Tree. Amadeus had already thoroughly studied the map of the tree, and the battle plan had already been figured out. He planned to tell the troops the next day, before they marched up.

He relaxed in his cot, opening the map again. It was a habit of his, going through his strategies over and over before each battle, making sure that there was no opening that would cause unnecessary casualties on their side. He heard a quick wrap on his tent flap.

"Enter." It was Lucina, and she had a grim look on her face.

"Amadeus. Your plan...needs adjusting."

"What? But..but who dies?"

"I cannot say. I can only say that I suggest an alternate plan…"

"Very well. I will do what I can." He rubbed his temple, trying to figure out another way to attack the tree when he remembered something.

In his dream, he'd betrayed Chrom.

"Lucina!" She turned. "In your future...Chrom is dead, correct?" She winced at the almost offhanded way he referred to her father's death. "Y-yes. He was betrayed by his closest friend…" She left the tent, presumably to hide her tears at this recollection.

Amadeus spoke almost to himself. "Then...what if it was me? What if I AM Validar's son, and he has some degree of...control over me that he uses to kill Chrom through my body?" He shook his head. He'd talk to Chrom after the battle. Another knock on the door.

"Yes?" He answered it wearily.

"It's me. Can I come in?" Cordelia.

"Of course!" She opened the flap and came in, taking her usual seat on his portable chair. "Why are you up so late, Amadeus? Shouldn't you be sleeping and getting ready for the battle tomorrow?"

"Yes..but I realized some flaws in my battle plan, so I have to rethink it."

"Ah. Can I help?" He smiled. "Of course. Here's a map, I'll tell you what I think…"

The two pored over the map for the next hour, until Amadeus had a suitable alternative strategy. Cordelia had struggled with the tactics; Ylisse's pegasus knight, for all her skills on the field, had trouble analyzing the entire field.

"Amadeus, how'd you figure all that out?" She looked up, amazed at his intelligence.

"It's really just a combination of reading to learn the basics, and then applying them through a lot of practice. Kind of similar," he winked, "to learning to wield a lance." She laughed at this; he'd often teased her for the inordinate amount of time she spent whacking away at training dummies. "How would you like me to teach you some of what I know?" Her eyes lit up.

"Oh, really? You mean it? Of course! When do we start?"

He smiled at her enthusiasm. "Whenever we have time."

"Alright, thanks! I'll hold you to it. See you tomorrow!" She turned and excitedly bound out of the tent, leaving Amadeus alone with his thoughts.

_Well...why did I just do that? _

* * *

They'd reached the top of the Mila Tree, where the moustached general stood with his guards. After making quick work of the Valmese outside, they quickly regrouped and surrounded the leader. He faced them unflinchingly. "I am Cervantes, he of the invincible moustache!"

Amadeus advanced from above on Aster. "Well then, I mustache you, how do you like this? Arcfire!" The bolt of fire rang true, and the general fell, wounded.

"Grah! That won't be enough to finish me!" He readied his javelin to throw at the tactician. Aster saw the incoming projectile, and easily dodged under it, but it took her flight path away from their target. He grinned as he saw this happening, and readied another javelin, but before he could, a flash of white and red had swooped down and knocked him over. He stumbled backwards, not expecting the impact, and with a scream, fell down the stairs to the bottom of the Mila Tree.

"Good one, Cordelia."  
"Thanks. Just like the plan, huh?"

They smiled at each other awkwardly before both turned away, blushing furiously and yet somehow still oblivious.

* * *

The walk up the branches of the Mila Tree had been exhausting. Amadeus could have flown on Aster, but he didn't want to leave the others behind, so they all walked together. Cordelia walked between him and Chrom, and he frequently heard small sighs escape her lips as Chrom and Amadeus talked over her.

Just when his legs felt like walking off on their own and not carrying his body anymore, they reached the top of the tree. Before them lay a beautiful temple hewed out of marble; he marveled at how they had been able to get such a creation this high up. Not only that, but there was a palpable air of holy magic in the air; the rest of the Shepherds could feel it too. Up here, limbs felt lighter, the air felt cleaner, and troubled minds could be at ease, at least for the moment.

"Lady Tiki!" Say'ri called out, and a green-haired woman appeared at the entrance to the temple. Amadeus assumed that she must be the Voice.

Introductions were made, and Tiki produced a brilliant gemstone from her robes. As everyone looked on in confusion, she proceeded to explain the Awakening ritual, and the importance of the Fire Emblem and four other gemstones similar to the one that she had given them.

When Tiki reached Amadeus, she stopped, eyes widening.

"Ah! I can sense it! Then, you have..my power, as well?"

Amadeus was confused. "Um...what? I'm sorry, I don't understand." Tiki shook her head.

"No, I am sorry. I am still not fully awake…"

"Milady." Amadeus bowed respectfully. "Take all the time you need."

"Yes...I will need to prepare."

* * *

Once Tiki was ready, they set out for Rosanne. A messenger had brought news of the army's successful retaking of the land, and thus they had a base to hold out in for the fast approaching winter. Rosanne was about a week's march away, so they hurriedly set off.

Each night, Amadeus and Cordelia would enter the strategy tent to pore over texts and maps, as Amadeus taught her the nuances of strategy and battlefield planning. Try as she did, she just couldn't quite understand it, and she would let out a small laugh and a sigh every time he corrected her. He knew that this couldn't go on, but then that was what he had thought on the ship. _Maybe I do have a chance..._although he knew he shouldn't entertain such thoughts, he couldn't help leaving himself this small glimmer of hope.

They were to reach Rosanne the next day. Amadeus had just finished teaching Cordelia how to properly arrange a phalanx to maximize its effectiveness.

"So I'd want to have the cavalry in front." She gestured at a small figure of a mounted knight.

"Yes; the cavalry can charge forward to break the enemy ranks, and then the infantry can enter and not worry about heavy resistance."

"I see...that makes sense." She twirled a finger through her thick red hair.

"Yea. That's it for today, then. Shall we have a practice match?" They'd gotten in the habit of having a practice "battle" after each lesson, for Cordelia to work on what she'd learned that day.

He set up his formation in a such a way that the phalanx would work effectively against him, hoping that Cordelia would realize it. She did, and set her units up accordingly. As they began, she spoke.

"So, while I was coming here tonight, guess what I saw?" She moved a group of units in a careful movement forwards.

"Hm...what?" He took his turn, moving a small group of his units.

"So I was passing by the training grounds, and I saw Frederick and Cherche…"

"Ah. That must have been...interesting."

"Well. Yes...he was on one knee…"

"Oh. OH!" Amadeus realized what she was saying. _Well..they do work together well on the battlefield. _

"Yes. Oh." She sighed, before smiling at him. "So how about you, Master Tactician? Surely you have some beautiful girl occupying your mind?"

"Err…" _Is she teasing me? Does she know?_ "I rather think I'm too busy for these things. Love is not something I tend to think about."

"Oh, please. Everyone has time to think about love. So come on, who is it?" She carelessly threw her hair back over her shoulder with a flourish.

"Um..well...there might be one particular woman who has caught my attention…" _Stop. Now. _

"Aha! I knew it! And who, per se, is this lucky lady, and what about her attracts you?" She seemed quite interested, the game forgotten between them.

"Well…" _Don't say anything. _"I won't tell you the name. But..she's beautiful, kind, absolutely brilliant in every way...and every time I talk to her, I can't help but smile because she makes each day brighter. And every time she rewards me with a smile back...the feeling is just..amazing."

"Well, I'll be. You really are in love with this girl, aren't you? I can tell by the flushing on your face just from talking about her! So when are you going to ask her out? There's bound to be plenty of nice restaurants in Rosanne; it's the perfect chance, you know."

Amadeus swore at himself, inwardly. "I'm not going to ask her out...because I know that she'd say no." His face fell. "Yea, I know for sure. I'd confess my feelings to her...and she'd reject me. And then I'd have to live with it for the rest of my life, as I fight alongside her in this war...no. It's better to keep this inside."

The teasing smile on her face was instantly gone. "Amadeus...I'm sorry. I understand how you feel..but if I were to give you some advice, it'd be to put it behind you and move on. There's plenty of beautiful women in this camp, you know!"

He nodded. "Just...you know. Keep it a secret? I'd rather not have word getting out…"

She smiled once more. "Yes, of course. But, Amadeus? You really should have more confidence in yourself. If what you just told me is what you think...well, I'll be honest with you, you're a lot more of a catch than you think. Any girl in this camp wouldn't even think of rejecting you."

_Any girl...except the one that I'm in love with. _

He sighed and looked at their unfinished game. "Well, I guess we can finish this tomorrow night. It's getting late. Shall we head back?"

Cordelia paused. "It's Nowi isn't it?"

"What? NO! She's a manakete! How would that even work? And she's like..a hundred times my age. I told you, I'm NOT going to tell you who it is." Cordelia laughed.

"Alright, alright. I yield. See you tomorrow. Goodnight, Amadeus." She left the tent, leaving Amadeus alone. His head dropped to the table.

_And what did you expect to come from that? For someone with your brain, you can be a hopeless fool sometimes..._

* * *

**There! This one took me a while to finish..I was up all night trying to figure out how I wanted to do this. Like I said before, I took out the major plot twist because it just became really hard to work with. **

**Thanks to the new followers/people who've favorited! Really makes me happy to see that :) **

**Anyways, this chapter mainly forwards the plot a little bit, while focusing more on the development between Cordelia and Amadeus. As we can see, they're growing closer and closer, and spending more time together. However, both are oblivious to the other's feelings, thinking that it would never work because they aren't good enough for the other, and as a result, there's a lot of unspoken tension between them (which I hope I've conveyed well). I've tried basing their courtship on my own experiences (yes, most of the happenings between them will be based on my own relationship experiences...albeit without the pegasus and wyverns and fighting on a battlefield). **

**Next chapter, they'll finally get together! I haven't really worked that one out yet, but we'll see. Also, they will enter Rosanne for the winter and prepare for the next phase of "Free the continent from the conqueror". **

**ALSO: For those of you who may be wondering, I will NOT be including Yen'fay in this fanfic. Most likely, I'll have the Shepherds retake some of the major towns/cities/kingdoms that Walhart has taken over, and then have them regroup for a massive offensive against Walhart. **

**Thanks for viewing, and please R&R!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys! I finished this chapter a lot earlier than I thought; I had an idea for how they could get together, and some insights on the dialogue, so I decided to write this before I forgot it. Enjoy!**

* * *

_Why do you still run, my son? Can you not see you were destined for greatness?_

_An image of him, commanding an army of Grimleal…_

_You see! You were meant to lead the forces of Grima! Your body was the perfect vessel! Now return to me...forget these fools you call the Shepherds; return to your father, and your true meaning!_

* * *

Amadeus quickly made his way to Chrom's tent, where he knocked.

"Yes?"

"It's me, Amadeus." A rustling, and an awkward silence.

"Alright, come in." He entered, and wished he'd waited a bit longer; Chrom and Sumia lay together on the cot, and it wasn't hard to imagine what had been going on earlier.

"Chrom..can I speak to you? Alone?" His tone seemed to get through to Chrom; the king nodded, and gently nudged Sumia to leave the tent. Once she'd left, he turned back to the tactician.

"Something wrong?"

"Chrom...you need to send me away."

"What? Amadeus, what are you saying?"

"Lucina said that in her future...you were betrayed by your closest friend." Chrom nodded patiently.

"And?"

"Don't you see? Your closest friend betrays you...Validar is my father...he seems to exert some sort of influence over me...there's also the possibility it was the hierophant...there are too many warning signs to ignore! You need to send me away, Chrom!"

"And if I were to do so? Who would organize the troops and draft battle formations?" Chrom waited, unfazed by what Amadeus had just said.

"But I'm a danger here! To you, to each and every one of the Shepherds! Validar might be able to control me at any time!"

Chrom shook his head, and when he spoke, there was a finality to his voice. "Amadeus. You're staying. I trust that the bonds between us are stronger than any bond you may have with a father you don't even remember, and a person who looks just like you. You're staying here, and nothing is changing. And that," he said, wiping his hands of some imaginary dust, "is that."

_Chrom…_

* * *

They reached Rosanne to rest for a couple days to regroup before their final offensive before returning home for the winter.

Amadeus was back in the strategy tent, going over some of the key villages that they would need to capture. They had about a month before winter would settle in; Amadeus wanted to disrupt some of the villages that lay along the supply chain that fed the Valm empire. If they could take control of some key checkpoints, then perhaps they could funnel resources away from Valm. He circled two small towns: Veral and Mar'lau. Mar'lau would be arguably tougher to take, as it was the main resource hub that was ferrying supplies to Valm. Veral would be much easier; it was a checkpoint about midway between Valm and Mar'lau. Amadeus then left the tent to return to his own and read a book.

He was halfway back to his tent when he ran into Gaius and Stahl. In the midst of the whole war with Valm, and the increasing ratio of his time spent with Cordelia, he'd barely had any time to hang out with them or socialize.

"Ey, Bubbles! Long time no talk. Anyways, we're going in to town. You up to join?"

"Hm.." It would be good for him to go into town with them; he needed any relaxation he could find. "Alright. But, Gaius, no stealing. And, Stahl, if you bring Maribelle..well, just try to keep her somewhat quiet?" The other two laughed.

"No worries, Amadeus. Maribelle won't be coming."

"Bubbles, I'm hurt. Why would you think I steal?"

"Gaius, you're a THIEF. It's in your job description to steal." Despite himself, he felt himself smiling. He'd really missed his friends. He resolved to try to spend more time with them on the march, and to save reading for later at night, when he was alone.

The trio walked towards the center of the city, where they saw various shops and stalls littered with merchandise. Enjoying themselves immensely, they found carnival style games to play, as well as lots of food and drink to consume. Amadeus even managed to win a soft, toy pegasus from one of the dart games; he had an idea who he wanted to give it to, before stopping himself.

By the time they were ready to return, Gaius was drunk. "Bubbles...help me out, here. Can you get me to fight with Nowi next time we fight? She's so cute…"

Amadeus chuckled to himself. "Gaius, she's a MANAKETE. She's also way older than you..you said so yourself that you didn't even want to think about how that would work. Tell you what. If you ask me the same thing when you're sober, I'll do what I can," he answered, fairly certain that Gaius wouldn't remember any of this the next day.

"I'll hold you to it, Bubbles…" Gaius dizzily re-entered his tent and retired for the night.

"Stahl? WHY ARE YOU OUT THIS LATE?" A high pitched trill came behind Amadeus and Stahl. "Were you gambling? That's very uncivilized, you know." Of course. Maribelle. Stahl grinned sheepishly at Amadeus before heading off towards the voice of his girlfriend.

Amadeus sighed, alone again. He still had the pegasus…and a thought crossed his mind. Just as he was about to set off, a hand tapped him on the shoulder.

"Huh?" He turned around and very nearly slugged the person across the face.

"Amadeus! It's just me." His eyes focused in the darkness and he recognized Sumia.

"Oh, Sumia. What brings you out here?" She smiled.

"I was just taking a shower; gotta be clean before I go back to my tent, you know." She winked at Amadeus, who didn't get it. "It's me and Chrom's anniversary today…"

"Oh! I didn't realize. Well, congratulations, and happy anniversary!" She smiled.

"Thanks, Amadeus. But I didn't stop you to talk about that. I want to talk about..Cordelia." She gave him a knowing look.

"Err..why would you want to talk to _me_ about _her_?" He decided it would be best to keep up his facade until he knew how much she knew.

"Well..I've noticed that the two of you are spending a lot of time together, especially since this campaign has started. And, as you know, I'm very good friends with her, and she tells me everything.."

"And?"

"I think she has feelings for you, Amadeus."

"W-what? No…" His mind reminded him to stay realistic, while his heart was dancing underneath his chest. "She still sighs at Chrom..I know where this ends up, Sumia. I misinterpret the signs, I think the feelings are mutual, and then I reach for her, only to have her push my hand away as she's reaching for someone else. Eventually, I end up with a broken heart." He blinked back tears; he'd never admitted this to anyone but himself, and he wasn't expecting the emotional pain that it brought out of him.

"How do you know that for sure?"

"Sumia, the other day, were you there when we were walking up the Mila Tree? She stood between me and Chrom..and whenever Chrom would speak over her, like she wasn't there, she'd sigh, that deep sigh. And numerous other incidents." He went on to list all the sighs related to Chrom. It hurt him to do so, but maybe this would give him the resolve to finally let go of his feelings…

"But...I was so sure! She's been talking about you pretty much all the time...I don't think she's even mentioned Chrom in the last two weeks…" Sumia paused. "Well..I guess I'll have to do more recon. I still think I'm right...and if I am, Amadeus, I'd take this opportunity. A woman like Cordelia doesn't come every day."

Amadeus nodded. I know..and that's why I just can't get enough of her. He retreated to his tent, bringing the pegasus he'd won with him and setting it on his desk.

(line break)

As they had a free day the next day, Amadeus decided to get some training in with a lance. He asked Cordelia if she was free, and she happily agreed.

He'd brought the pegasus doll with him in his bag.

They reached the training grounds, and she began instructing him. Time after time, he charged at her, never landing a blow. He laughed at his own incompetency.

"I'm not very good at this, am I?" She smiled, teasingly.

"In time, you'll improve. I've never come close to beating you at your strategy games, so consider this payback for all the times you mercilessly beat me on the board."

This went on for the entire morning, and it was already lunchtime when they wrapped up. The two made their way back to the camp, and on the way, Amadeus thought he saw Sumia watching from behind the bushes. He glared at where he had thought he'd seen her, and heard a rustle as she presumably tried to hide herself. He hadn't had an opportunity to give her the pegasus yet..

When they reached camp, Cordelia excused herself, saying that she had arrangements with someone. Amadeus felt a flash of jealousy before suppressing it; it could have been anyone, she hadn't mentioned a name or a gender.

He sighed to himself. These passing moments with Cordelia seemed to hurt more and more. At some point, he realized, he'd have to just admit that fact to her, and come to terms with her reaction. At least it would give him some degree of closure.

But it would also shatter my heart for the rest of my life. He shook his head at that thought. Better than being a lovesick fool for the rest of your life, following her around.

His hand unconsciously went into his bag and gripped the pegasus figure in it. Alright, then. Right now. I'll go tell her how I feel about her.

He made his way across camp to her tent. Each Shepherd's tent had some distinguishing feature; for example, Chrom's tent had a small Mark of the Exalt, and Amadeus' tent was steadfastly protected by Aster. He stood a bit of a distance away, gathering his courage to enter. As he stepped closer, he heard voices inside.

"But he told me you've still been sighing at Chrom!" Sumia?

"Is he really that blind? He had to have BEEN THERE to hear me sighing...does he not realize I'm sighing because of HIM?" Cordelia..

"I don't know...but that's what he told me. What's he been telling you?"

"Well..I was talking to him a couple of days ago, and I managed to ask him if he liked anyone..and he said that he did, but he knew that she would say no…" He could hear her voice starting to crack. "Why can't anyone that I fall for ever fall for me? Why aren't my feelings ever returned, Sumia?" She was becoming hysterical now.

"Cordelia, don't worry. I think...well, maybe this time will be different. I'll go get you some of Maribelle's tea to calm you down, alright?"

A tearful sob followed, which Amadeus assumed to be her way of showing assent. He heard the tent flap opening, and quickly started moving his feet, to act like he'd just been passing by the tent.

"Oh, hey, Sumia." He waved at the pegasus knight, who, predictably, grabbed him by the ear.

"AMADEUS. Get over here RIGHT NOW." She kept her voice down so that Cordelia couldn't hear, but it still was coated with enough menace that Amadeus was genuinely scared.

"Er..hi?" She slapped him.

"Don't 'er..hi' me! Cordelia is in there crying. Because of YOU. So you better go in there and make it better."

He turned his head so that Sumia couldn't see him smiling. So then...everything I've done hasn't been for nothing? His heart was leaping for joy. "Yes, ma'am. I'll go right now."

He pulled on the tent flap, and Cordelia bid him enter.

"Ah! A-Amadeus! What are you doing here? Oh, gods, don't look at me, I must look a mess right now!" She pulled the covers over her face.

"Calm down, Cordelia. Sumia told me you weren't feeling well, so I decided to stop by." He smiled at her and gently pulled the covers down so that he could see her face. "I see you're looking as beautiful as ever."

"Oh, shut up," She replied. He smirked at her.

"Very eloquent. Anyways, here's some water, what's wrong?" His eyes looked full of concern. She sighed once more. "Oh, well…" She trailed off, leaving the sentence incomplete. Amadeus turned away, as well. He took a deep breath while he reached into his bag, before turning back.

"So, anyways, I was out in the town last night with Gaius and Stahl...and we played some of the carnival games there. There was this dart game, and, well I won something for you." He took his hand out of his bag to reveal the little pegasus doll. "I thought you'd like it...so here." She paused, before gently taking it from his hands.

"Amadeus..it's...well, it's just about the cutest thing I've ever seen. Thank you." She set it on her bedside table, being careful to stand it up properly so that it didn't fall over. "So you just came over to give me this?"

Amadeus took another deep breath. Oh, gods. Okay, here we go. "Well, yes. I mean, no. I mean...Cordelia, I need to tell you something, and it's probably not what you're expecting."

She mulled his words over. "Okay...there's actually something that I've been wanting to tell you as well, actually."

He turned and feigned a look of surprise. Is she going to admit it…? "Alright, well, why don't you go first?" He said playfully.

"What, why am I going first?"

"Well, ladies first, no? It's only right that I let you go first." He smiled at his ingenuity._ Perfect. If she sets up to talk about something else, then I can go along, and if she mentions her feelings...well..._

"Fine. You win." She sighed once again. "Amadeus...remember when we first met? Remember how I told you that I didn't really have anyone that I could call...friend?" He nodded. "Well..you were my first real friend, perhaps other than Sumia. You were the first person I felt comfortable approaching and conversing with…" She paused. "And then, in the past two weeks, I felt something different. I...I wanted to be with you. Whenever you came to find me, it'd make me happy...happier than anything I'd ever known. And then I talked to Sumia about it, and she said that I'd fallen for you…" She trailed off and looked at Amadeus. "I've never felt this way about anyone before. With Chrom..well, he was more of an idol. I idolized him, but he was always somewhat of an authority figure to me...until I met you, though, I'd never thought that highly of anyone. I love all the times I spend with you, Amadeus. You're funny, smart, and...you make me smile. And you're more like Chrom than you think; both of you are great men, perhaps the greatest men any of us have known. If you just gave yourself some credit, maybe you'd be able to see just how special you are..."

Amadeus was completely taken aback by what she had said. He'd had no idea her feelings ran so deeply.

"Cordelia…" He paused, wanting to make sure that he worded everything the way he wanted to. "But..I always thought you were still infatuated with Chrom…you still sigh whenever he's-" She interrupted him.

"No! I wasn't sighing at him..I was sighing at you. Sometimes it seemed like you were pointedly ignoring me...so it made me sad to see that you couldn't even leave a portion of your attention for me."

_Gods, I had no idea._

"Oh..gods, Cordelia, I'm so sorry…that wasn't my intention." He collected himself before continuing. "But if we were to go through with this...I'd need to know for sure that you're completely over Chrom. If we were to be together...and then one day, you realize that your feelings are still for Chrom...I'd be finished. I don't know what I'd do...the past few weeks have been hard enough. Trying to keep my distance from you, because I was scared that you'd still choose Chrom over me…" He paused as he felt her move closer.

"T-then…" she started, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Yes, Cordelia. I have feelings for you too...I've just been too scared to act on them. I was scared of being rejected...so I need to know. I need to know that you won't suddenly turn back to Chrom..I need to know that I'm the only one in your heart." It was taking everything he had to keep himself from holding her in his chest with all his might, but he needed to know this for sure.

"Amadeus...look in my eyes when I say this, and tell me if you see me wavering. Yes, Chrom is still someone I idolize. But you are the only one who resides in my heart and my mind. I thought nothing could warm my heart again...until I met you." He was shocked by the passion that shone in her eyes, even through the tears that streamed down her cheeks.

"But..how can you be so-" He was cut off by her throwing herself into his arms. He reflexively wrapped his arms back around her, feeling the satisfying weight of her body against his as he buried his face in her hair. The feeling was one he would never forget; they had embraced before, but the sheer passion of this one was different. And the smell...lavender. From that day on, anything that smelled of lavender held a special place in Amadeus' mind.

After what seemed like too short of a time, the two broke apart. Cordelia was still crying, and Amadeus reached up a hand to wipe away her tears.

"Come now, there's nothing to be sad about now. We've found..each other..and we're together now. Finally." He smiled at how even something so jumbled like what had just come out of his mouth could sound so perfect to his ears. Before he could finish another thought, she'd pulled him back into another embrace, and he gave himself over to the euphoria of the moment.

"Cordelia? Sumia was...Oh my." They simultaneously turned to face the tent opening and pushed each other away.

Lissa stood in the doorway. _Oh gods. Why Lissa, of all people...now everyone in the camp will know. _"Lissa, wait!" He yelled at the young princess, but she had already burst out the tent.

As the flap closed, he turned and smiled sheepishly at Cordelia. "Well, there goes any chance of keeping this a secret."

She gave him a seductive look as she pulled him back in, closer. "Who said anything about keeping it a secret?" She whispered in his ear before turning his head. They were so close now...and then she pushed her lips towards his for a second.

Neither of them had any experience; they just let their lips sit there, touching for a brief second before they broke apart. They giggled, both feeling like young children again, before wrapping their arms around each other once more. They lay together for hours, having, as Amadeus had put it, found each other at last.

* * *

**And there! I'm not sure what you guys think of this...but anyways, this was heavily based on personal experience (Yes, that was what I did the first time I kissed someone. I honestly had no idea what to do). Hope you guys enjoyed it! I've never really written romance or anything...so I wasn't really sure how to go about it. Let me know in the comments if you guys have suggestions/tips for writing romantic stories in the future (since it seems that the audience enjoys romance more). **

**This chapter was a bit shorter than the last; I've tried to ramp up the chapter lengths to include more detail so we can get a better picture of what's going on. However, I made this one shorter because this was a very special moment; the two are finally joined together. Not saying that it'll be smooth sailing the rest of the way, but I CAN say that they won't be splitting up. **

**I liked using this part of the plot as a point where they got together; stopping in Rosanne is almost like stopping time for them, a welcome escape from the war, battling, and the life of a soldier. **

**So now we see Amadeus' reasons for his hesitation (which I thought was a big issue in the game with pairing anyone up with Cordelia), which I've been not-so-subtly mentioning in past chapters. In my honest opinion, four conversations between characters wasn't enough to convince me that Cordelia loved someone any more than she had Chrom; I needed more, so this was my platform for experimenting with a way to show that she'd really and fully moved on. **

**Or so she says; she said all the right things, but in the heat of the moment, we can all say things we don't mean, or we can trick ourselves into believing things that aren't true. I haven't decided what's going to happen in this relationship yet; that's all still in development. **

**To the guest review: Yes, I realize the end of the last chapter was a bit rushed. Sorry about that! I'll try not to do that again. I know, I kind of time-skipped forward and jumped past a lot of happenings. :( that's my mistake.**

**Anyways, thanks for the 6 favorites and 9 followers! It'd be great if you guys could give some input as to what ideas you ahve for the story; I admit that I'm writing these chapter by chapter, without really a coherent plan for tying everything together as of yet. **

**Thanks again, everyone! **


	7. Author's Note

**Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you guys know, updates are going to be a bit slow for the next week or so what with school starting and everything. I am NOT abandoning this project; just with schoolwork and everything, the update pace will predictably slow down for a bit..I'll do my best though! So bear with me through this period of time :)**

**I do have some plans for the next chapter though! Probably a bit of advancement between Amadeus and Cordelia; there will be a major plot twist, and then the focus will switch completely to their relationship as I try to move away from fighting scenes for a while. **

**So, there you have it! I've written about half of the next chapter, and will do my best to update in a timely fashion, but if I don't please understand that I have a lot on my plate! Being a pre-med student isn't the easiest life...:( **

**Thanks again! Hope the new school year treats all you students well, and if you're not a student, I hope the times treat you well :)**


	8. Chapter 7

Amadeus had never had a better night of sleep. He hadn't had any dreams of Validar; he hadn't had any nightmares so to speak. All he dreamed of was the fresh scent of lavender, and the red-haired lady he'd held in his arms. He climbed out of his cot, feeling fresh and ready for anything that the day might bring.

_Well..almost anything..I hope Lissa didn't tell TOO many people yet. _

* * *

Amadeus found Chrom at the gates of Rosanne.

"Waiting for Sumia to return?" Chrom nodded. "Where's she off to?"

"Scouting. There are reports...but anyways, my friend, you have something to tell me?" Chrom grinned wickedly at the tactician. _Sigh..if Chrom knows, that means Sumia knows, which means...well, everyone knows. _

"Heh, your smile tells me you already know." Chrom slapped him on the back.

"Congratulations, friend. Now you'll know what life's like for me…" At that moment, a pegasus lighted next to Chrom.

"And what is life like for you now, _Milord?_" Sumia had chosen the perfect time to join in on the conversation.

"Er..I meant, how amazing it is to have a special someone in your life! Sumia, darling, I hadn't finished what I was going to say when you landed!" He tried to smile at her but she pushed his face away.

"Psh. Anyways, I have some bad news…"

* * *

They were in trouble. Apparently, Walhart had decided to deal with them himself..which meant that he was making his way to Rosanne.

Sumia had intercepted a message while scouting, and in the strategy tent, Amadeus and Chrom read the letter with trepidation.

_Assemble the troops at the stronghold, and prepare to converge on Rosanne. These "Ylisseans" will be taught a lesson...by the Conqueror himself._

"Amadeus...what do we do?" Chrom looked stunned; they hadn't been expecting to face Walhart himself so soon. Amadeus ran his fingers through his hair, deep in thought and not even trying to mask the worry on his face.

"Well...from inside the walls, we could defend Rosanne from an army far larger than ours. But if Walhart's numbers reach a million…" He shook his head. "I'm not sure if any amount of walls could realistically keep them out indefinitely."

"C'mon, boy, you can think of something." Basilio stood in a corner, arms crossed. Amadeus sighed.

"I'm trying...I need to gauge how much time we have to prepare." He looked at the map. Valm was a two week march away. Which meant that, assuming the troops took a week to assemble, and the two weeks to march, they had a window of about three weeks.

"We have about three weeks..we need to start evacuating the civilians. Give me a bit of time..I'll need it to come up with something to get us out of this alive." The others nodded and left.

_How are we supposed to defeat them…they're a million in number! _He paced back and forth, before he felt someone enter the room.

"Amadeus?" It was Lucina.

"Lucina. Were you looking for me?" He sighed as he sat down and rubbed his temple. His euphoria from the night before seemed long in the past after the revelation of Walhart's advance.

"Yes, actually. This fight...happened in my future as well. It...I can only say it played a major role in weakening the Shepherds before the rise of the fell dragon." Amadeus nodded.

_As if I didn't have enough pressure already. _

"I could tell, Lucina. This won't be easy...but I will do my best. I promise I'll protect Chrom to the best of my ability."

"Thank you. I will try to provide what aid I can when you have a plan set up." She made to leave, but a question had suddenly struck Amadeus.

"Lucina? You said you came from the future...were there others like you?" She looked puzzled.

"How do you mean?"

"I mean, did any of the other Shepherds have children in the future? And if they did, did they come back with you?" Lucina's eyes had turned glossy with tears at this mention.

"Yes...there were thirteen, including me. But..we got split up when we traveled through the portal. I...I don't even know if they made it, which is why I haven't mentioned them. For all I know..they could all be dead…" She choked back a sob.

"Lucina...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked…if we can get out of this war alive, we'll look for them. How does that sound?" She nodded in thanks.  
"That...would be nice. Thank you." She left the tent.

_What if one of those thirteen kids is mine? _

* * *

Aster arched gracefully through the sky, her purple wings beating through the clouds. Cordelia had seen him at the stalls, and he'd told her everything, but he told her he needed to be alone to clear his thoughts, and she understood.

The fresh air did wonders for his head. He felt lighter, and more focused as Aster began her descent back into the Shepherd's camp.

Cordelia was waiting for him when he landed, and he smiled at her.

"Hey there, beautiful." He waved at her, taking satisfaction from her blush.

"Hey yourself," she replied, pulling him into a quick hug. "How'd the mind-clearing go?" She let him go from the embrace, but held on to his hand, and he felt himself burning from the contact between them. _This could take some getting used to…_

"It went well. I need to get to work now though…" He made to step towards the strategy tent, but she pulled him back.

"Nuh-uh. Not till you've eaten and gotten something in your body. You can't work on an empty stomach, and it's almost dinnertime! Now, you stay right here." She gestured at the ground where they were standing, and he obediently plopped down. "There, good boy. I'll be right back! Don't you dare move from that spot." He laughed at her antics, but didn't make any attempt to leave.

Aster had been watching from behind, and she lay her head down next to Amadeus, who gently patted her on the head.

"Who would have guessed, huh, girl?" He leaned against her head as he stroked her nose. She gave an odd sniff in response that Amadeus had never heard before. "What's wrong, Aster?" The wyvern's head turned away, slightly. "Are you-Aster. Are you...jealous of Cordelia?" The wyvern's head moved from side to side in what Amadeus believed was a head-shaking movement, but her actions clearly told him otherwise. He fell back, laughing. "Aster, she's my girlfriend! Of course I'm spend a lot of time with her! But I spend a lot of time with you too!" The wyvern moved her head back a bit closer to the bemused tactician. "Okay, fine. If I promise to do my best to spend as much time with you and not forget about you for her, not that I would anyways, will that make you happy?" Aster's head bobbed up and down, and she lifted it and rested it back on Amadeus' thigh. "Well..glad that makes you happy."  
Cordelia had returned with a large pot, presumably of food, and also held something behind her back. Amadeus was curious as to what she was hiding, but she brought out the pot and revealed the stew inside.

"Well? Eat up! I cooked it earlier." She smiled at him. _Gods, that brilliant smile.._ "I hope it's not too hard on your stomach."

He took a sip of the stew. "Cordelia, it's amazing. Really." She looked at him with a hint of disbelief and a pout.

"No..you're just saying that!"

"Really, Cordelia. I mean it. This is just about the best soup I've ever had…" He took another large spoonful as he noted the smile that she was desperately trying to hide.

"You're not just saying it because you're my...boyfriend..?" That was odd. She didn't hesitate like that when speaking normally.

"Nope. Why'd you pause when you said boyfriend?" She blushed furiously as she tried to string together a response.

"O-oh..well…I don't know..I never thought...well...we just got together..and..you know...I've never had one before..." She struggled to make a coherent sentence, and her face grew more pink by the second. He smiled at her embarrassment.

"Heh, you're so cute when you're flustered." He pulled her close, and she let herself fall into his arms.

It seemed like too soon that they had finished the soup and Amadeus had to go back to working on a strategy.

_What I woudn't give to stay here with her...but I can't. If we defeat Walhart...then we can return home and be peaceful and I can enjoy my time with her..that's motivation enough. _

He sighed to himself as he bid Cordelia farewell. "I'll see you after the strategy meeting?" She nodded, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving him.

He touched the spot on his cheek where she'd kissed him, before sighing and unwillingly turning his focus away from her receding figure and towards the job that awaited him. Now that they were together, he wanted nothing more than to spend as much time as he could with her, but he knew that would have to wait.

There were more pressing matters to attend to right now.

* * *

Amadeus, Chrom, Flavia, Basilio, and Lucina were all staring blankly at the map. Virion and Cherche were there as well. Virion's knowledge of Rosanne and the surrounding area could be helpful, and Cherche would also be helpful, both in terms of knowledge and in understanding Virion.

"Well, from within the walls, we could defend against quite a larger number of forces...but if Walhart's army is as large as we've heard, he could also starve us out by surrounding the city. So we can't stall...and we have to find some way to take him out. Once we've killed him...with the god-like status he holds with his people, if they see him slain, they'd surrender without a second though." Amadeus finished his thought.

"Yes, but _how _exactly are we going to get _to _him, boy? He's going to be sitting in the back commanding his army, and we have a fart's chance in the wind of getting through all his soldiers _and _still having the strength left to fight him." Basilio slammed the table in frustration.

"Hm.." Amadeus paused. "There is only one road in to Rosanne. We could rig it up with traps and the like, but that could only do so much…"

"Well, it's a starting point. That does more for our plan than what the oaf just did."

"Perhaps, if I may speak?" Virion cleared his throat. "My lords and ladies, Rosanne may seem like any other city aboveground, but belowground, we have quite the network."

Amadeus' eyes widened. "You're saying there's an underground pathway we could use..?"

Virion nodded. He took out a quill and marked a few spots around the perimeter of Rosanne. "They'd come out here...here….here...and here….which, if Rosanne is surrounded, seems to be perfect for infiltrating the Valmese ranks from behind...which, if my noble mind is correct, is where the one known as the Conqueror will be residing."

Amadeus scratched his head while the others looked on.

"Ha! I like that look on your face, boy! I'd bet a kiss on my big brown Feroxi arse that you've got a plan!"

"Oaf! Must you be so crude, even in such serious times? Amadeus, what are you thinking?"

"Hm...well, it's incredibly risky...and doesn't have a high chance of succeeding..but it seems it's either this choice, or we try to defeat Walhart's numbers, and that doesn't bode well at all." He went on to explain the plan to them.

Flavia nodded approvingly. "It's risky alright...but it's only as much risk as is necessary in such a situation."

Amadeus shuddered at what she had just said.

"_...only as much risk as is necessary in a situation." Chrom nodded. "...Yes, this should work. Come this time tomorrow, we'll be trading stories with Emm as we return to Ylisse."_

_And then she fell. He'd failed. _

_Was the same thing destined to happen?_

_He saw her falling again._

"Amadeus? You okay there, friend?" Chrom shook him lightly by the shoulders.

"Huh? Oh...yea. I don't know. This plan is all I have for now...let's go with it, and lets also rig up the path's leading towards Rosanne once the villagers have been evacuated. Anything that would dwindle their numbers will help…"

"Alright. You sure you're okay, Amadeus? You're as pale as a ghost."

"No, I'm fine. Just...tired."

* * *

He was back in his tent, lying down, reliving the nightmare that he'd never wanted to see again.

_She fell, in his mind, over and over again. What else could he have done? What could he have done differently? Could he have saved the pegasus knights? _

_Again, she fell. _

_The sickening thud as she hit the floor…._

_Chrom weeping over her body…_

_The helplessness as he realized it was over, and he'd failed…_

Suddenly, a voice outside, followed by a familiar snort.

"Aster, it's just me! Let me get in there, girl."

The figure stepped in.

"Amy, you okay?" It was Cordelia. _And what had she called him_?

"Er..yes. And why are you calling me Amy?" She laughed.

"Oh, you know. Amadeus is a bit long and fancy...and anyways, now that you're my boyfriend, don't I get a pet name to call you?" She smiled earnestly, and he couldn't find the heart to reject her proposition, even though he feared to think of what would happen when the rest of camp caught wind of his new nickname. "Anyways, Chrom said you weren't feeling well after the meeting, so...here I am! I brought you some books if you wanted to read, and some food and water, and I'll be right here if you need anything." She sat herself down on the chair next to the bed, clearly not about to leave anytime soon.

"Cordelia...thank you. But I'm fine…"

"You certainly don't look fine! You're as pale as a ghost! What's wrong?"

He smiled despite himself. "Chrom said the exact same thing…" He paused to see if Chrom's name had any effect on her, and was satisfied when it didn't. "We have a plan for Walhart. It's kind of desperate...and risky..and something Flavia said after hearing my plan gave me flashbacks of when Emmeryn…" He couldn't bring himself to say it. "Of when Emmeryn...you know." She nodded. "And I can't help but wonder..what if that happens again? What if I fail again?"

"Amadeus...listen. I'm not going to lie to you; I can't promise that your plan is going to work, and that we'll all get out of the battle happy and healthy, and that in a few weeks' time we'll all be back in Ylisstol celebrating. I also know that's not what you wanted to hear."

"Exactly! This plan isn't foolproof! It's not like the other times, Cordelia…" She shushed him.

"No, it's not, obviously. But one thing's the same: We're all still here. Through everything, you've led us all on multiple successful missions. Like I said before when you had doubts: we believe in you. Without you, we wouldn't have won any of these battles. With you, we've won battles we shouldn't have; we've defeated the Mad King and his reign of terror, and we've almost dethroned this Conqueror as well. And if we fall, we go down fighting. We won't let this Conqueror defeat us without a fight." There was a fire in her eyes that he hadn't seen when she first entered the tent.

He lay back down, burying his head in his pillow. "Thanks for that, Cordelia."

"Anytime. Now, you need to get some sleep. Don't worry, I'll be here if you need anything at anytime. Go on, get some shuteye!" She tucked him in snugly, blew out the candle, and resumed her spot at his side, holding his hand as he drifted off into sleep.

* * *

_They'd traversed through the tunnels, Walhart having been successfully drawn to surround the city. They'd spotted an opening, and had gone through the tunnels to get behind the Valmese army._

_He poked his head out of the tunnel exit just in time to see a man in gleaming red armor swinging his axe…_

"AHHH!" He woke up and grabbed at his head to make sure it was still in place. "Oh..bad dream." He'd had the same dream multiple times; Walhart somehow knew of the tunnels, and he'd predicted that they'd used them, and it always ended with some variation of either him getting killed, or Chrom, as they exited the tunnels. Virion swore that there was no way Walhart knew of them; apparently, only the nobles of Castle Virion knew of the tunnels; even Cherche hadn't known of them until that night. _Also, of course, Virion WOULD name a castle after himself. _

The past two weeks had gone by quickly. They'd spent the time fortifying their traps littering the path outside Rosanne. Snare traps, pitfalls, concealed stretched-back branches and the like dotted the road. Amadeus knew that it would only slow the Valmese a bit, but, as he had said during the meeting, anything and everything counted when your foe numbered in the millions.

Training was also a heavy part of the daily routine. The evacuation of the villagers had been rather quick and efficient, and once they had left, most of the grounds had been converted to training grounds. Throughout the day, if the army members or Shepherds weren't helping with rigging the roads, they were out in the grounds, sparring or thwacking away at training dummies.

Now that the roads were saturated with traps, the army had nothing to do but wait for the Valmese to arrive. Sumia and Cordelia would scout each morning; Sumia with Chrom accompanying her, and Cordelia with Amadeus and Aster flying besides her and Hermes. Today was Amadeus and Cordelia's turn to scout.

"They should be here any day now…" Amadeus muttered to himself nervously.

"What was that?" Cordelia yelled over the air between them.

"Oh, noth-Look! Down there!" They both stopped sharply and looked ahead at the ground beneath them. The flag of Valm stood up like a beacon, the vibrant red and the crossed axe blades standing out in the otherwise lush green forest. The two quickly turned and sped off back towards Rosanne to warn the others.

* * *

Everyone was in formation. Archers lined the top of the walls, as did mages and javelin throwers. Foot soldiers remained behind the gates, waiting for the inevitable entry of the Valmese. Amadeus trembled as he flew above. Cordelia turned to look him in the eyes, and broke formation to get next to him. "Amy. Believe in yourself. Push away all the doubt. You're the greatest strategic mind there is, and nothing will defeat you."

He nodded as she flew back to her spot, and he did his best to push the lingering doubt out of his head. Suddenly, the ground troops looked around in shock. The ground was shaking. The Valmese were coming. Amadeus drew his lance. Below him, arrows were drawn from quivers, tomes were brought out from within robes, and swords were carefully drawn from their sheaths.

Behind the giant army, Amadues could see a distinct figure clad in red armor, wielding a gigantic red axe.

_Walhart. You showed up. _

The Valmese had arrived.

The final battle was about to begin.

* * *

**Yup, there we go! Managed to finish this chapter at 2:30 AM...anyways, hope you guys enjoy! We can see that since both Cordelia and Amadeus have no experience with love and being in a relationship, they have no idea what to do...which, in my opinion, brings a cute dynamic between the two of them. Some of their initial relationship events are based on my own, as well, as I've stated multiple times in past chapter notes. Mostly, despite the awkwardness, we can tell that they have very strong feelings for each other; the big problem is that they don't know how to express it. I'm debating having them ask other characters about it, or learn on their own; hopefully I'll have that decision hashed out soon.**

**The idea for a nickname actually came from my significant other. I was thinking of what to do, and then they said that and I thought that it would be great for Cordelia to be calling him Amy. **

**Here, we get our first mention of the other children! All I will say is that they will appear in the near future; I've decided where they'll be coming in, but I didn't want to make it too obvious, so you guys will see soon.**

**Another interesting point is that we see the resurgence of Amadeus' guilt over his past failures. His inability to let go of the past, whether it is the unknown past that he is unaware of, or his failures, clouds his judgment and makes him question himself. Cordelia does her best to help him clear his mind, but there's only so much that someone can do for you; I'm sure we've all had the experience where we believe in one thing steadfastly, even when everyone else (literally everyone else) tells us that we shouldn't. **

**Also, the plot twist! I thought it'd be interesting to try a take where Walhart comes on the offensive. In the game and in most fanfics I've come across, there's not much variation; take over towns around Valm, slowly dwindle their numbers, and then work to take out Walhart. I wanted to see what it would be like if Walhart came to them, and how they'd react to such a scary proposition. I've worked out how I want the battle to end up, but you guys will see when I finish the next chapter! **

**To the reviewers: **

**Silverknight17: Thanks for the compliment! Stick along for the rest of the ride :)**

**Astrofur: I actually didn't plan the angst; that kind of wrote itself, based on my own experiences with relationships. I'm glad you liked the dynamic between them! I agree with you totally on the part about Robin trying to replace Chrom in her eyes, as well as the part about him getting her to like him without even trying; in my opinion, the most important part about attracting someone is that it should be someone who is attracted to you when you AREN'T trying. But I'll mention more about that later, if/when Cordelia and Amadeus have more spare time to reflect on their relationship. **

**C. Lupus Sekirei: I actually haven't read the fanfiction you mentioned, but I'll be sure to look it up. Hopefully, though, despite the fact that there are similarities, I'm sure that you can see that different stories may have similar events but different focuses, and I hope that my chapter notes have explained my story and decisions well enough. Also, I hope my plot twist isn't the same. **

**Azrael-von-Gruber: Sorry I haven't really written Henry in, by the way; I don't think I'd be very good at fulfilling his character (except for constant 'nya-ha-has', I don't really get him...needless to say I've never used him in the game). Also, like I said before, Morgan and Severa (along with the other children) will be coming in soon! And yes, it will be different from the game; I didn't really like their system of introducing the children characters, anyways. Stay tuned and you'll see what I have planned!**

**To all the followers/favoriters: **

**I can't say enough thanks to you guys; it's great to know that you guys want to know what happens next, and I'll try to keep this going!**


	9. Chapter 8

The sun had just begun its descent. The vibrant orange and yellow shades painted the afternoon sky, as beautiful a day as any. Amadeus stopped for a moment to admire the view from his spot atop the ramparts, before focusing back down on what lay before them.

The great army had stopped in its tracks. Walhart rode forward to the front of the army, and Chrom and Amadeus advanced to the front of the ramparts in response.

"Behold, Ylissean League! I am Walhart, the Conqueror! You are nothing but a pebble to be kicked out of the way, on my road to immortality!" A roar from the contingent behind him.

And it was quite the contingent. Every corner of the surrounding lands was surrounded by Valmese soldiers.

_I guess the traps didn't do anything…_

"Surrender now, fools, and spare yourselves! You cannot hope to defeat my numbers with yours; you are hopelessly outnumbered. Don't play the fool. Surrender, lest you face your inevitable defeat and death at the hands of the Conqueror."

"Never!" Chrom's voice rang through the air. "We will fight to the end, Walhart. We fight to end your reign of tyranny."

Walhart mused at this response.

"Why do you resist me, little prince?" A taunt. Chrom's face remained emotionless.

"You enslave the weak, and kill the able. You are the enemy of the peace that I fight for."

"You object to my philosophy on MORAL grounds? Pah! Blood must be spilled in any new birth...you, of all people, would know that, prince."

"There is no justification for your cause, Walhart. My blade will bring you the judgment you deserve for your deeds."

Walhart kicked his horse, and it turned to bring Walhart back among his ranks.

"Ha! Better, prince. I hope to see you in battle. Let our blades ring out the truth of our statements...and let the stronger win."

The red cloaked figure disappeared among the flood of warriors before them, and the battle began.

After a pause, the contingent began their slow, methodical charge.

"Fire!" Amades yelled from the top of the ramparts. Arrows dashed through the air, jets of fire and bolts of electricity screamed towards the incoming contingent. Valmese soldiers fell to the ground, but they were quickly replaced by more.

"Fire!" Another wave of death flew from the ramparts. Yet the opposition continued advancing. It seemed as if for each warrior they struck down, another ten would take his place…

_What have I gotten them into this time…_ Amadeus shivered as the thought of defeat crossed his mind, before he quickly blocked it out.

_No! I need to stay focused. Draw them in…._

Volley after volley of arrows and magic rained down on the Valmese forces, and the floor was littered with Valmese soldiers. The charge continued, but their numbers had shrank visibly. For the first time, Amadeus allowed himself a glimmer of hope.

"Above! Enemy aerial units!" The archers' attention went skywards, as they tried to pick out the pegasus knights and wyvern riders of the enemy who tried to sneak in. But that left the ground force to continue their charge unimpeded.

"No! Focus on the ground units; if the aerial units get in, let our foot soldiers inside handle them." Amadeus yelled back at the archers, who turned their attention back down to the ground. He reasoned that aerial units were far fewer; if they managed to enter Rosanne first, the foot soldiers inside could deal with them.

Still, the phalanx continued towards them. They were almost at the gates, and he could see Walhart behind them, commanding his units forwards in their inexorable advance.

From the corner of his eye, he could see another large contingent coming towards Rosanne.

_Who could that be..? _He sincerely hoped they weren't more Valmese. They were still a few minutes out; he couldn't quite make out who they were.

"Marry! The Resistance is here! My brothers and sisters have come to join us in the final fight!" Say'ri had appeared out of nowhere.

"The Resistance?" Say'ri nodded.

"They must have heard of Lady Tiki's awakening...Perhaps now, we have more than a chance!" Amadeus nodded at this.

_Well, that's an unexpected boost._

"Amadeus? Is it time?" Chrom tapped his tactician, palming the hilt of Falchion.

"No. We need to time it perfectly..once they begin their siege on the gates, we'll head to the tunnels. We can show up behind Walhart when he's focused completely on entering the gates…"

"Alright then." The soldiers continued advancing. Archers did what they could, firing as fast as their arms allowed them, and mages ripped through tomes, chanting incessantly and hurling bolts of death.

Nothing could stop the inevitable.

A battering ram was brought to the front of the Valmese soldiers. A long, thick, wooden trunk, with the front end having been carved out in a likeness of Walhart's unsmiling face.

_Thud. _The walls shook at the impact. _Thud. _The gates creaked. The soldiers inside shook and trembled as they grasped their weapons a little tightly, anticipating the battle to come.

"Amadeus? Now?" He nodded, and he and Chrom took off towards Castle Virion, and the tunnels underneath. Just before they reached the castle, Cordelia and Sumia lighted next to them. "Amy?" Cordelia ran over to him, grabbing him in a tight embrace. "Please...be safe..I couldn't bear to...lose you so soon…" He felt her heave a bit as she tried to hold in the sobs.

"Cordelia. I'll be fine. I promise you." He wanted to say more, but time was of the essence. He kissed her on the cheek, trying to put as much emotion as he could into the kiss, and whispered, "Be safe. I'll see you soon," before she tearfully nodded and left. He turned and saw Chrom gently pushing Sumia away as well. Their gazes met, and they nodded. It was time.

They quickly ran into the main passageway of Castle Virion. It was a magnificent castle, with the blue trim of Virion's hair adorning each piece of fabric (Amadeus assumed that was what it was based on; judging from what he knew of Virion, it was quite a reasonable assumption) and the crest of House Virion emblazoned over the doorways. The walls themselves screamed of an overstated, exaggerated elegance, with the large fabrics draped so as to flow down from the roof. He would have stopped to admire the room and its architecture more..

_But now is not the time. _They ran through the passageway and into the throne room, where Virion had told them the tunnels began. He pulled out his map and pointed.

"Then it should be here..underneath the throne." They quickly pushed it out of the way to reveal a door cleverly embedded into the ground. Chrom grunted his satisfaction as they lifted the trapdoor.

Outside, a loud roar sounded. The Valmese had entered. Amadeus' thoughts shot back to Cordelia, fighting within the walls in close quarters…

_Please, don't let anything happen to her. _

"Amadeus? Let's go." He nodded and followed Chrom down into the depths.

A short ladder dropped them into the tunnels.

"Fire." A ball of fire emanated from Amadeus' hands, lighting the area. He quickly took out the map and got his bearings. "Alright, we turn left, and then take the next right, and then keep going until we hit a dead end...that's where I remember Walhart was staying."

They sprinted off in the direction that he pointed at, Amadeus in the lead using his fire to keep the tunnel lit. Once they reached the dead end, they saw a ladder going up, and the faintest cracks of light streaming in through openings in the door.

"Let me go first, Chrom." Amadeus insisted, as flashbacks of his dream rampaged through his head.

"No. I must go first, as the king of Ylisse. I cannot let you take any risk for me." Amadeus shook his head.

"Chrom, please. Just in case...let me go first." There was a pleading tone to his voice, and Chrom decided to back off.

"Very well, then." Amadeus sighed and jumped onto the first stair, Chrom following right behind him. He took out the Gae Bolg, and pushed the door upwards with the lance tip. When he had opened it sufficiently, and there was no response, he deemed it safe. He hauled himself upwards and out of the door, and quickly pulled Chrom up behind him.

They stood where the Valmese soldiers had convened earlier. The dusty footprints, all blended together by the dragging of feet and the breeze, served notice to that. Which meant…

"So far, so good. We're behind them now." Chrom looked ahead.

"And we're exactly where we need to be. WALHART!" He yelled at the figure well in front of them. Walhart turned, bemused at this development.

"Well, now. What are you doing here, prince? Surely you are not deserting? Your friends are putting up a noble fight. But will they be able to maintain their defense when I enter the fray?" He rode towards them, bringing a small group of Valmese with him.

"Deserting? No, I am here to finish you, Walhart. As you said: 'Let our blades ring out the truth of our statements.'" Walhart let out a patronizing laugh at this.

"Ha! Boy, you are not even worthy of crossing swords with me!" He was now only a few paces away, as was the force he'd brought with him.

"Chrom...there's too many in that force for us to fight. They outnumber us by...I can't even begin to fathom by how much. We will succumb eventually...if not to them then to our own physical limits." A bead of cold sweat trickled down Amadeus' face as he came to this realization.

"We have no choice. We need to fight. We're the only hope of winning now…" Chrom drew Falchion. Amadeus sighed and followed suit, gripping the Gae Bolg in a ready stance.

Their enemies advanced.

"Back-to-back?" Chrom nodded, and they leaned against each other, weapons at the ready. The first to advance quickly felt Amadues' lance slapping his head, dizzying him, before the lance plunged into his stomach. Another approach, this time on Chrom's side; a flash of Falchion, and he fell as well, a slash across his chest. On and on it went; the Valmese had them surrounded, but couldn't send too many at a time; too many would crowd the ring, and hamper their own allies' movements.

The incoming wave seemed to never end. Valmese soldiers kept coming in, filling in for their slain brethren. Amadeus was assured, however, that the gate was holding well; from what he could see when he chanced a quick glance of his peripheral vision, the majority of the Valmese contingent was still outside the gates, and the Resistance had closed in, offering much-needed support. But he could feel his arms tiring. Soon, he wouldn't be able to swing and stab with his lance at the speed necessary…

The earth quaked. Amadeus and Chrom lost their balance, but so did the Valmese surrounding them. The sky was suddenly tinged an odd, dark mixture of blue and purple. Chrom had seen the sky take this color once before…

"Lucina..?" Amadeus gasped as he realized what Chrom was saying. The sky looked exactly as it did when Lucina had come back from the future...was something similar happening now?

"Chrom! Focus!" The Valmese seemed unfazed by everything happening, and had resumed their encircling of the two. From behind, Walhart watched, his gaze unwavering, watching the two warriors hack and slash at his men to no avail.

"Right!" They quickly got back together in the middle, and the fight resumed. Amadeus was almost at breaking point, and could feel his strikes getting weaker and weaker, when he heard a distinctly unfamiliar voice.

"Father! No! We're here to help!" _Father? He thought blankly. _

The voice came from a young girl, with dark blue hair that matched Chrom's. Her hair was tied up in pigtails, and her pegasus beat its wings as it glided above them. Behind her followed a small group of mercenaries, ten in number, Amadeus counted, eleven including the mounted girl. They swooped in, quickly clearing out the Valmese circle that had surrounded them.

The pigtailed girl looked at Chrom, her eyes almost bugging out. "Father? Is that..you?" Chrom was just about as shocked as she was. "Huh?" Amadeus quickly got between them.

"There'll be time for introductions later. Do you see that fort city over there?" She nodded. "Well, we need to protect that place. If you could get your band over there to help out...that would be great. We'll take care of the rest here." She nodded again, and quickly made her way over as her band followed suit.

_Could that be..the rest of Lucina's friends? Could that mean...my child was in that group? Why did he or she not call me out? _

Amadeus quickly blocked out that thought. "Chrom. Let's finish this."

"Yes, it's about time. Walhart! Face me now, without your army."

"Pah! Your army may be winning the battle, but you cannot outlast me in the war! My troops number in the millions! What hope do you have?"

"Slaying you, Conqueror. Once you are gone, who will they follow?" Chrom brought Falchion into a steady stance, holding it at an angle in front of him and pointing it at Walhart. Amadeus followed suit, though his tired arms begged him not to. The tip of the holy spear pointed straight at the Conqueror.

"Will you surrender, Conqueror?" _Chrom couldn't possibly expect-_

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to, boy." Walhart drew his axe.

"Walhart! Listen to reason. We strive for the same goals. We have similar beliefs. Join me! We yearn for peace. We believe in the strength of man." Chrom and Amadeus waited with bated breath for Walhart's response.

"Fool! I would never join you! I am the Conqueror! I lead all! Once I defeat you, and the rest of your puny Ylissean League, I will have my world domination! The world will unite under me! The sword shall force them to their knees!"

Chrom sighed. "Walhart! Allow me one last word. Peace can be achieved through other means; not only through war. If peace is truly what you strive for, then put down your weapon, and join me."

"Don't try to back out of the fight now, prince. Show me your conviction in your belief!" The axe pointed at Chrom.

"I tried, Emm." Chrom sighed to himself as he crouched low in anticipation of the fight to come. "Very well, Walhart. We will do it your way."

The two advanced. Walhart advanced as well, not giving any ground, as expected. As they neared, Chrom leapt towards the general.

His downwards blow was parried by the great axe. Around and around they danced, each swinging at the other, Walhart sometimes blocking both lance and sword at the same time, sometimes deftly parrying one and sidestepping another. Even with their man advantage, and their synergy working together, they knew that Walhart would be tough to defeat.

Amadeus was still feeling the extra weight in his arms from the fight before. He decided to change tactics, and pulled out his tome. There was one spell he'd never used before, although its strength was supposed to be unrivaled…

"Mjollnir!" He yelled, and a gigantic bolt of white lightning formed at his fingertips. He smiled, and directed it towards Walhart, who had just shoved Chrom backwards with his parry. The Conqueror saw the bolt coming from the corner of his eye, and, without turning, simply moved his axe into the bolt's trajectory, blocking it away. Amadeus groaned silently to himself. _This was going to be a long battle. _He continued shooting his bolts of lightning at the general, if for no other reason than to distract Walhart and keep him from focusing his efforts on Chrom. When he felt he had the energy to spare again, he once more drew his lance and entered back into close quarters.

No words had been spoken between the three of them. Each knew the gravity of this fight. It was a tacit winner-take-all battle, and each participant's concentration left no room for banter.

Now Walhart was on the offensive. He lifted his axe, bringing it smashing down towards Chrom, who sloughed the blow off to the side. They couldn't match the Conqueror in pure strength; they'd need to use their agility to win this battle. Both sides traded blows; sometimes, body parts were used as blades, as punches landed and kicks planted themselves onto bodies.

The fight dragged on. Sometime during the fight, the sun had hidden itself, and the moon had come out with her light. Still, the three fought on and on. Although they had landed blows, none were fatal, much less truly damaging. The adrenaline overcame any fatigue that they should have been feeling; not only that, but the pressure and realization of what the battle meant prevented any from even allowing a thought of exhaustion.

Suddenly, Amadeus caught an opening. He'd noticed that the Conqueror's armor, sturdy as it was, was weak at the joints. The connection of the arms had a slight opening, as did the knee joints. Walhart had just parried his thrust; Amadeus had lunged at his stomach while Chrom slashed at his chest, but in a swift downward motion, he parried both the sword and the lance. Amadeus felt his lance pushed to the side; using whatever reserves of strength he had left, he turned the momentum upwards, bringing the lance point up towards the arm joint of Walhart's armor. He was rewarded with a soft _click _as it went through the thinner, more flexible joint of the armor, and gouged a deep wound in Walhart's strong arm.

Walhart's face tightened, but the sign of pain was gone quickly. Amadeus smiled to himself. _He's not invincible. _His blows were noticeably weakened, and now Chrom could match him blow for blow, strength wise.

"Chrom! Let's finish this." Walhart laughed.

"Yes, this should be over soon. But for you two fools, not for me!" He stepped back, and held his axe up once more. Amadeus drew his tome as Chrom charged towards Walhart. They whirled around each other; Amadeus couldn't get a clean shot. He waited for the disengage that he knew was coming; he'd sparred with Chrom many times, and knew it was his habit to disengage every few strikes.

_There it is. _Chrom had leapt back, adjusting his grip on Falchion. He raised a finger, beckoning Walhart to come to him, taunting.

"Mjollnir!" He shot another bolt of lightning at Walhart. The bolt was heading straight towards him...when he turned once more, and this time, blocked the bolt straight back at Amadeus.

_Oh dear. _He tried to twist away, but the bolt caught him on the side, and he could feel it tearing a gash in him. He could feel the blood flowing as he tried to staunch the bleeding, but he already feel himself losing consciousness.

"Amadeus! No!" Chrom's voice…

"Chrom...you...have to...I'm...sorry…" He gasped, almost like a fish out of water, as he felt the energy draining from him. His eyes widened. "Be..hind..."

Walhart had snuck up behind Chrom as he was preoccupied with his injured friend, and his axe was raised above Chrom. All Chrom could do was a last minute parry...and even then it was too late. The axe bore down on him with the full strength of the Conqueror, pushing back Falchion and slashing a deep wound across Chrom's chest. Chrom staggered back, his clothes stained by his own blood, and fell on the ground, prone. Walhart moved in for the kill.

"Well, fought, prince. But it seems my passions burn brighter than yours..and now my philosophy shall be the ONLY philosophy. Take pride in the fact that I have never been tested like this before…" The great Wolf Berg raised.

_No...it's all over..I failed again..._

Suddenly, a flash of blue, and a sword slashed at Walhart's side. Then another flash of platinum, and another sword buried itself into Walhart's leg, bringing him down to his knees.

"Finish him!" An unfamiliar voice rang out. Amadeus couldn't keep his eyes open long enough to see what happened next, but he heard the sound of steel entering flesh, followed by armor clanging as a body fell to the floor. His eyes began closing of their own accord.

_Hey, that person had the same hair color as me…_

His mind faded into darkness with this last thought.

* * *

He woke up in a cot. Groaning at the throbbing pain in his side, he tried to sit up, but was pushed back down.

"Don't even think about it! I'm still dressing your wounds!" Maribelle. He felt a staff press against his body, and the familiar warm tingling sensation of being healed ran through him.

"Ungh...what happened?" Maribelle shushed him.

"You'll see," she said, a twinkle in her eye.

_What does that mean? _He looked at the bed next to him to see Chrom lying there, being treated by Lissa.

"We won…" Chrom smiled as he nodded in response.

"Yea. Good fighting out there."

"You too. Walhart...he had good intentions. But somewhere along the way, he lost sight of his goal amid his thirst for power…" Amadeus mused to himself. "It's a pity we couldn't sway him; if we could have gotten him to realize that we were fighting for the same thing...but in the end, that drive to rule seems to be the downfall of even the strongest man...if only-"

"CHROM!" Sumia had dashed into the room. Or tent. Looking around Amadeus determined it was a tent. She ran to his side. Chrom gave Amadeus a quick apologetic look, before indulging his wife's desires and allowing her to fuss over him and his injuries, and Lissa rolled her eyes and exited the tent. Amadeus turned back to look at the ceiling, letting Maribelle's staff do its work.

Almost everyone visited him throughout the day. Stahl had been first, visiting with Gaius. They bragged of their exploits in battle, of how many Valmese they'd slain. Stahl got an earful from Maribelle for putting himself into precarious, dangerous situations, and she dragged him off, presumably for more scolding, although Amadeus could tell through his protests that he didn't mind. Gaius gave him some of the candy he'd pilfered from the Valmese; apparently, they had some special candies that Gaius had never had before.

After Gaius, Flavia and Basilio. They looked exhausted, and Amadeus couldn't imagine how they had gotten through that long day. They congratulated Amadeus on his brilliant plan throughout the war, and especially for the last battle. Both tried aggressively to recruit him to be their strategist, but Amadeus reaffirmed his loyalty to Chrom.

But at the end of the day, the one visitor he'd been looking for still hadn't come. He'd refrained from asking anyone about her; he assumed that if anything had happened, they woud have told him..but now the little voice in his head reared its ugly head again.

_Maybe they just don't want you to worry while you heal. _

_Shut up! _

_Maybe she didn't make it...we suffered minimum casualties. What if she was one of them? _

_No..the Shepherds all made it. _

_But why hasn't she come yet? Surely she'd be beside you when you woke up? Unless something happened to her?_

_No..it's not possible. She has to be okay._

"A-Amy?" His eyes shot open. _It was her. _He was so relieved to see her, so happy, that he didn't even notice Chrom and Sumia guffawing at her name for him.

"Cordelia." He tried to yell it out, to put as much emotion into her name as he could, to show her how relieved he was that she was okay, but in his weakened state, all he could manage was a gasp. She stepped into the tent, and moved towards his cot. He could see fresh tear tracks on her face, and her eyes were puffy and red. She got to his cot and sat down next to him, grabbing his hand, and promptly lost control, breaking down and sobbing into his chest.

"Oh, Amy...they told me...you were dying...they said your side...was bleeding out...and you weren't going to make it…" Their bodies heaved with the force of her sobs.

"Cordelia." He grinned cheekily at her. "I _did _promise you I'd come back, didn't I?" She looked up, appalled that he could still be joking with her in his conidtion.

"I...yes, you did. And you'd never break a promise to me, would you?" She asked as she nuzzled her head into his arms.

"Of course not. I can't even bear the thought of breaking your heart." She smiled into his chest at this response, and he held her tight. "Oh, right. I asked Maribelle what happened...obviously, it looks like we won, but why did she tell me that I'll see something? Has there been a new development?"

Cordelia looked up at him, shocked that he didn't know.

"Oh, true, I guess you and Chrom wouldn't know yet. Well, when you're feeling up to it...I'll take you to see." She smiled, a mischievous look on her face.

"Come on! Why can't you guys just tell me?" She lightly tapped him on the cheek.

"Because it'll be better if you see for yourself. Trust me." He relented, and lay back down onto the cot.

"Alright then...I'll take your word for it. For now...can we just rest like this?" She nodded, and buried her head deeper into his chest. He held her as tightly as his aching body would allow, and the two dozed off together, without worry of an impending battle, for the first time in their budding relationship.

Somewhere outside the tent, a girl with platinum colored pigtails who'd been eavesdropping on the conversation mimed a wretching motion.

But she couldn't help smiling to herself for just a second. She quickly wiped the smile off her face and checked around her to make sure nobody had seen her smile.

"Ugh, they're just as sappy as they were in the future. Gawds."

* * *

**There! Obviously, we know who that group that appeared to save Chrom and Amadeus was...but if you haven't caught on, I won't spoil the surprise. **

**If you guys have questions about the fighting, I think I've mentioned this before; the Shepherds are kind of like a special strike force, and that's what I focus on, rather than the big battles between the main armies. Here, they fight together, but it's hard to be overly descriptive when hundreds of thousands of troops are fighting hundreds of thousands of troops; I thought it'd give more insight if I focused on the main characters and how they got through the fight. **

**We can see Walhart's pretty badass. He's such a boss, but he symbolizes that too much of a good thing can often go astray. According to the game, he actually wanted to unify the land to destroy Grima; I don't really mention that, but I did have Chrom hint at the fact that Walhart started with good intentions, before being eaten up by his desire for power. Amadeus muses a bit about this near the end of this chapter, and there's really not much more to say. **

**Cordelia and Amadeus are still awkward in their own cute little way, but they're getting better and better at the whole relationship thing. Now that the war is over, expect a lot more fluff about their little experiences together, either during the march or during their various stops in between. **

**Now, as usual, the responses! **

**Astrofur: thanks so much for the compliments! I'm really glad you've enjoyed reading this so much, and thanks for the concern too :) don't worry, I'll do my best to update in a timely manner and try to keep my sanity :) next chapter, like I just said, the focus will shift almost completely towards the social dynamic of the Shepherds. So keep reading for that! thanks so much again; if even one person can enjoy my story, I'll do my best to keep writing it. **

**Jozern: Wow, thanks for that review! Lots of good insights here. First, another reviewer also mentioned Lux Aureus' "Potentia Amoris". I've actually just finished reading that story, and it blew me away. Honestly, my story doesn't come anywhere near that level; this IS my first fanfiction, after all, so maybe after a few more stories and learning experiences I can begin to scratch that level of writing. Second, I agree with you that it's, as you said, absolute poison to skip/gloss over time periods, and yes, I was guilty of doing that a few times. I'll try my best not to, but sometimes I might feel it's not really too integral to the story. As for your idea of the chapters/stories that go into great detail into a character or characters' daily life, I agree that it's a great idea. I've actually considered doing that as a project after I'm done with this. As for details, I realize that I've actually left out a lot; that wasn't my intention, and I'm glad you've reminded me. Hopefully, there's a bit more detail in this chapter, and as the story goes on, I'll do my best to keep in mind your suggestions. **

**As usual, I'll sign off here by reminding you guys to enjoy this next installment of the story! And please remember to comment if you have complaints/suggestions/plot ideas/anything really. See you when I update the next chapter! **


	10. Chapter 9

_He was watching from above, as if he wasn't really in the room. A lady with red hair held two young girls close to her chest, and he could tell that all three were sobbing…_

"_Mommy? Where's Daddy? Why isn't he home yet?" One of the children asked. _

"_Daddy...Daddy's busy. He can't make it home today." An excuse, to hide the truth…_

"_But Daddy's never gotten home this late! Did he forget about us?" The other child._

"_No...he…" The mother choked back sobs. "He's on a trip, with Uncle Chrom. They'll be back before you know it." She hoped the lie would convince them as much as it would herself._

* * *

He woke with a start. Cordelia must have left at some point, because he was alone on the cot. He was still in the medical tent; Maribelle had forbade him to leave that evening, just in case any complications came up.

_But where was Cordelia? _

He slowly tried to sit up. He winced and clutched at his side at the initial burst of pain, but found that he could get out of bed without much trouble. Smiling at this development, he slowly made his way out of the tent.

Chrom was right outside.

"Oh, hello there, _Amy." _The king barely repressed his snigger. "How are you feeling now?"

"Lots better, thanks. Er..how do you know about that name..?" Amadeus' face was tinged crimson.

"I'm pretty sure everyone in camp knows by now...your daughter's been telling everyone she can about it."

"What? She's what? Wait, what? My-" Chrom laughed at his tactician's confusion.

"Oh, no one's told you?" Chrom proceeded to explain to Amadeus the revelation that he'd missed. He'd been right; that group that had appeared to save them against Walhart was the rest of the children from Lucina's future, the ones that she'd been looking for this entire time. And their parents were all among the Shepherds. Amadeus jumped at this.

"That means...one's...mine?" Chrom nodded. "Can I...er..meet her?" Chrom was holding back laughter at his tactician's lack of coherence.

"Of course. She's been waiting for you to feel up to it."

Amadeus followed Chrom through camp in a daze.

_I have a child..? Or, I'm going to have a child? _

Another thought.

_Is Cordelia the mother? If she's not...things might get awkward…._

"D-daddy?" He remembered that voice. He'd heard it the day before, when they'd been fighting Walhart…

"Er..yes?" A young girl in mercenary's armor slowly approached him. "You fought bravely yesterday, er…?" He realized he didn't even know her name.

"..Severa."

"Severa. And I'm-"

"Amadeus. Or, as Mommy loves calling you, 'Amy'. Ugh." She made a blanching motion.

"So..I'm your father. And your mother is..." The girl didn't answer; she only took out a small stuffed animal from her bag. Amadeus gasped when he realized what it was: the pegasus he'd gotten for Cordelia!

"H-how…" Amadeus was at a loss for words, and that rarely happened.

Severa mumbled something unintelligible.  
"...only thing….left...lonely…" She looked away from him. Amadeus cursed himself as he realized what she was talking about, and he quickly closed the distance between them to pull her into a tight hug.

"Oh, Severa...you won't be lonely ever again, okay? I promise that." He felt the smaller hands return the hug for a second before they pushed him away.

"I didn't say I was lonely! I _said_, I thought you'd be lonely here, so I came to visit!"

_Heh. She's certainly as strong-willed as her mother._

"Well, how sweet of you!" Cordelia had approached from behind them.

Severa snapped back at Cordelia.

"Don't mock me! You guys didn't care…" Tears began falling. Amadeus was hurt at what she said; he knew she was referring to the Amadeus from her future world, but even that hurt him all the same, and he knew Cordelia was feeling the same way.

"Severa, dear, why would you say that? Of course we care! We're so happy to finally meet you-"

"Then why did both of you _leave me?_" The girl almost yelled out the answer over her tears. "You left me alone! You said you would be back and then I never…" The rest of her speech was lost in her sobbing, but Amadeus and Cordelia knew what she meant.

"Severa…" Amadeus glanced at Cordelia, who nodded. "Darling, we can't speak for our future selves. But we can speak for our current selves, and we promise we'll never leave you." He and Cordelia held out their arms to the girl, who finally relented and ran into them, sobbing into the group hug.

"Oh, Mom, Daddy, I missed you both….I'm sorry I was so mean...I just..didn't want to lose you two again…" The three huddled on the ground, arms wrapped around each other, reunited as a family.

* * *

The day's march had gone by quicker than any that Amadeus could remember. Without the impending battles that war brought, they could march at a more leisurely pace. He marched near the front, hand in hand with Cordelia, while the two chatted with their newfound daughter.

She told them of the horrors they'd faced in the future, and Amadeus couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl. Just like Lucina, she'd been forced to learn to fight and fend for her life at such a young age…and he hadn't been there to protect her. Or, rather, his future self hadn't been able to protect his family. He made a silent vow to himself that he would not let that happen in this world.

Suddenly, he remembered his dream. There had been two girls in it, not one, and he assumed it was his family…

"Severa, did you have a sister or a brother?" He asked. Cordelia gave him a quizzical look, but he waved her off, mouthing _I'll tell you later _before she nodded.

"What? Oh...yes, I did. Morgan, but she was younger than me. But after we went through the time portal, I haven't seen her…I hope she's okay." Amadeus winced. So there was still one child out there...and that child was his.

"I see...well, we'll do what we can to find her."

Just then, Sumia lighted next to Chrom, who'd been leading the march just in front of Amadeus and his family.

"Chrom! There's a girl up ahead who's trapped in these ruins ahead! Risen! We need to go!"

* * *

The battle was quick and straightforward; after fighting the Valmese, the Risen were practically training dummies, and were effortlessly disposed of. Amadeus sat with Cordelia and Severa, the three having fought together, now catching his breath.

"Amadeus? Cordelia? You guys might want to come." Sumia came over and beckoned them to follow. They looked at each other before shrugging and doing so.

"So..who was this girl that was trapped there, Sumia?" Amadeus asked.

"Oh, her name's Morgan..she can tell you more."

_Morgan? My younger daughter? _

"Father!" They'd entered the tent where the girl was, and she sprang into Amadeus' arms.

"Err..Morgan?"

"Yes! You remember me! I remember you too! Although..I don't remember anything else...but you're here! That must mean we're all safe, and everything's going to be okay."

"You don't remember anything?" Amadeus raised an eyebrow.

"Nope. Except that you're my father, and...Mother!" She disengaged herself from Amadeus and now sprang into Cordelia's arms. Cordelia held her close, returning the contact with a large smile.

"Well, with the amnesia, I wouldn't be surprised if she's yours, Amadeus." Chrom said with a chuckle. "I've found a town for us to stay in tonight; they're quite thankful to us for getting rid of the Conqueror, so we'll have any amenities we want. You should take your family with you...get caught up. I think that's what we'll all be doing." He smiled again as Cynthia, apparently _his _younger daughter, came into the tent, and Amadeus nodded, himself eager to catch up with his children.

_Children. Who would've thought this possible?_

* * *

They marched for another two hours after that, reaching the town of Clera. Amadeus soon realized that his younger daughter was full of energy; even though she had the same case of amnesia that he had, she was always bouncing around, chatting up everyone and talking about everything.

"Father! You were the greatest tactician anyone had ever known in my time! Can you teach me some things?" Amadeus grinned at Morgan.

"Well, of course, but first you'll have to read up on strategies. Gather knowledge, and then you can learn to apply it. When we get into town we can look for some books that might be good for you to start on?" Severa perked up at the insinuation of shopping.

"Oooh, Daddy, are we going shopping? Can I go too? I'm sure the shops here are much better..in the future, they were absolutely _horrendous. _The accessories? Gawds, _terrible. _Morgan would support me, but she doesn't remember, so take my word for it. Oh! Morgan, we can go look at dresses and everything!"

"Of course, dear. We'll all go shopping together. Maybe your father will buy your mother something nice, as well." Cordelia replied with a wink at Amadeus.

"What? Y-Yes, of course. Just..you know, go easy on the wallet, alright? Your father isn't made of gold. But you three are my family, and I'd give you guys anything in my power to give." Amadeus winced a little at the thought of just how shallow his coffers were, but didn't give it much more thought.

It was almost dark by the time they reached the gates of the town. Chrom spoke to everyone before they entered the town.

"Shepherds! We've won a long, exhausting war. So use tonight to celebrate! If you have need of gold, then come find me, and I'll see what we have left in the convoy and we'll try to figure something out. There are inns aplenty, and diners and shops aplenty; enjoy yourselves today, for you have all truly earned it."

And so they entered.

Chrom grabbed Amadeus' shoulder before he left and tossed him a bag of gold.

"Hm? Chrom, I think I'm alright, but thanks anyways." Amadeus lifted the bag of gold, which was quite heavy.

"Oh? Well, I do know that you have two young girls about to go shopping...not to mention a girlfriend to shop for as well. Also, you know, there's enough in that bag for two rooms..if you'd want to hit up the inn and, well, you know, get some private time with Cordelia." Amadeus' mind quickly raced to thoughts of being alone with Cordelia, finally, in a proper room…

"Heh. I know where your mind's going. Anyways, take it. Use it if you want, and if not, that's fine too. I'll see you around, Amadeus." Sumia had come up beside him, and, taking his arm, dragged him off towards the city.

"Well, shall we go, then?" He nodded at Cordelia, who had brought their children.

* * *

"Ooh! Can we go in there?" Severa tugged at his arm, and he relented. He'd felt like almost every story he'd passed, at least one of either Severa, Morgan, and even Cordelia had managed to drag him in. They were in a small accessories store, and he found himself looking around in sheer awe at the selection of items. The walls were filled with all sorts of decorations and products, some in bright, sunny colors, while others were painted with more earth tones. He saw some wood figurines, gold pouches, almost anything he could ever think of, he was sure he could find in here.

"No, Morgan, you put that in your hair!" Severa seemed to be quite knowledgeable about all these things; Morgan, Amadeus realized, was much more in the same boat as he in terms of these things. He watched as his daughters sifted through the endless merchandise.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself." Cordelia had sidled up to him.

"Hm..yes. I wonder what life will be like now with these two. They're quite..energetic." She laughed as she leaned on his shoulder.

"Oh, it'll be fun. Besides, now that we know that we have kids in the future...well, somehow, we know we'll work out fine here right?" She was looking him in the eyes, hoping for some confirmation.

"Well, I was pretty sure things were going to work out fine anyways, Cordelia." He winked at her.

"You're just saying that!" But from the flush on her cheeks, he knew he'd said the right thing.

"Anyways, I was thinking maybe we could go out for dinner tonight? You know, instead of cooking or eating rations, since we're not fighting anymore, maybe we could go out to a restaurant and enjoy ourselves for once. It'll be on Chrom, too." He couldn't help himself; he had to see if she had any reaction to the name. A part of his mind still whispered doubts into his ear every once in a while..

"Of course! But Morgan and Severa will probably want to come, as well…"

Amadeus nodded.

"I know. But when we get the chance, I'd like to take you out to dinner or something. We haven't really had a chance to go out or anything, you know? We've just been..fighting and marching." He looked to see her response, and was rewarded with an eager nod.

"Yes, I know! I was thinking the same thing. Maybe in the next town we stop in, we can explain to the kids? I'm sure they'll understand, seeing as we haven't been together all that long yet in this timeline."

"Of course. That sounds good." He pulled her into a hug, and she leaned into his chest.

"AHEM." Severa cleared her throat loudly at her parents. "Mom, Dad, I think we're ready to pay now!" Amadeus sighed, and took out his rapidly depleting gold pouch.

"Yes..of course. Er..how much?" The salesperson counted up the items.

"Um..500."

"Oh..um, okay." He quickly counted out the currency and gave it to the salesperson, who wrapped up the items and handed them over.

"Yay! Thanks, Daddy." Severa skipped out of the shop, presumably on to the next shop, while Morgan stayed with her parents as they walked out the door.

"Father, was that really expensive? If it was, you know, I don't need all the stuff we just got.." Amadeus smiled at his daughter's worried expression.

"No, it's alright, Morgan. If you like it, and I can get it for you, there's no reason not to. Just..you know. Keep it within reason."

"Alright then, father."

* * *

They'd reached the inn that they were to spend the night at, the Running Spirits Inn. Amadeus put down the bags from shopping, and went to the counter to get their rooms. He reserved two rooms; one for him and Cordelia, and one for Morgan and Severa. He went back to his family to hand out the keys.

"So..one of us is staying with Mother, and one of us stays with Father?" Morgan said as she realized there were two keys.

"Um…" Amadeus was in a bit of bind.

"Actually, your father and I wanted the two of you to spend some time together, without us annoying adults, and we figured you guys would like your own room!" Cordelia stepped in.

"Um..okay." Severa looked suspiciously at her father, before taking the key. "Oh well. C'mon, Morgan, let's go! We can try on and look at all the stuff we bought today! Maybe we can even wear them out tonight. The men will be _staring _at us!" The two ran off towards the stairs, bringing their items with them.

"Thanks for that." Amadeus smiled at his girlfriend.

"Oh, no problem. A separate room, huh?" She gave him a suggestive look, before breaking out in a laugh.

"Well, I thought it might be nice. I'm sure we could still split up the kids, you know." She shook her head at that.

"I was just joking. I'd love to spend the night together in a real room, and not a tent for once." He smiled, and they moved their belongings up the staircase.

When they reached the room, the two quickly decided it was much better than living in a tent. For one, there was a real bed, and it offered much more space than the cots that they'd been sleeping on. There was a small cocktail table with two chairs around it, and a fireplace and washroom. Cordelia looked around, before putting her hands around Amadeus' neck.

"Amy, it's great. I love it." She kissed him gently, and he turned to face her and return the kiss.

Of course, Morgan chose that time to barge into the room.

"Father! Mother! I-" She paused and stared in shock at what her parents were doing. "ACK! Um..I'll come back later?" And she ran off out the doorway. Amadeus sighed.

"Maybe we should lock the door...anyways, let's get the girls for dinner?" They walked down the corridor to their daughters' room and entered the room.

The room's layout was pretty much the same, except that the clothes and things they'd bought were strewn all over the room.

"Morgan, Severa, do you guys want to get dinner in a bit? It's getting late, and I'm sure you're hungry!"

"No, Daddy, it's okay! We're going to go eat with Lucina and some of the other kids."

The parents glanced at each other. They'd expected to have a family dinner that night.

"But honey, we want to spend time with you! We have so much we still can talk about!"

"But Mother, you and Father need to spend some quality time together! You two haven't been together very long, and apparently you guys haven't even had a date yet, so we'll leave you two to go out tonight. We'll see you later! Bye!"

Morgan quickly hugged her parents, as did Severa, and the two sprinted out the door.

"Er...well. Shall we get ready for dinner, then?" He offered his arm to Cordelia, who took it and followed him out.

* * *

Amadeus and Cordelia headed back to their room to get ready for dinner. Amadeus looked through his few belongings, trying to find something that looked at least nicer than his normal traveling cloak, or his battle armor. He managed to find something presentable. He wore the plain white button down shirt, with a midnight blue vest over it, and a pair of black trousers. He couldn't recall ever actually wearing them, nor could he recall where they came from, but for the night, they would work. He looked at himself in a mirror.

_Hm..maybe I should get Severa to help me with some more..presentable clothing. Still, it's not THAT bad. _

"Amy? Er..can you tell me how I look?" He heard Cordelia's voice from the washroom, and hurried over. "Well, what do you think?" She opened the door and came out, and Amadeus had to catch himself, lest his jaw drop down to the floor.

"You look...amazing," was all Amadeus could say. She wore a long, plain ash grey dress that was elegantly simple, and which hugged her body, emphasizing her figure. The skirt went down almost to her ankles, and the neckline was relatively conservative, almost as if teasing Amadeus. She also wore red shoes that complimented her hair.

"Do I? Really? You don't notice anything...well..different from normal?" She seemed nervous about something, but Amadeus couldn't pinpoint it.

"Well, I've only ever seen you in your armor really, but other than the fact that you're wearing different clothes, no?" He squinted, trying to see what he was missing.

"Do you notice anything...well, size-wise? Er...small? Smaller?" Still he squinted.

"Smaller? Um, no...oh! OH! So that's why you never take off your armor?" He was almost laughing, until she gave him a light punch to the arm that still hurt quite a bit.

"Yes..I don't know, it's just that it's a pretty serious flaw, you know?" She looked hurt that Amadeus was still giggling to himself.

"Cordelia, I couldn't care less about that! And anyways, I think they're fine; you look beautiful regardless."

"Really?"

"Really. Now come on, before all the good seats are taken!" Cordelia took his hand, and he pulled her out the door and down the stairs before she could protest what he'd said.

"By the way, Amy, where'd you get _your _outfit? Honestly, I've only seen you in that grubby old cape and your armor."

"Ha ha. That cape's not grubby, by the way. I can't tell you where I got them..but I found them in my trunk earlier. Probably sometime after the Plegian War, though; Chrom probably gave them to me so I could look 'presentable' and that I'd have something to wear other than my, as you say, grubby old cape. But how does it look?" He found himself more curious as to what her opinion was than he thought he would be.

"You look absolutely charming. Handsome." She ran her hands over the shirt and vest that he wore, and he shivered in pleasure at her touch.

The inn's diner was quite pleasant; however, since all the Shepherds were staying in town, Amadeus knew that there was more than a good chance of running into some good-natured teasing on the way. When the waitress came to take them to their seats, he asked if they could have a more private seat, away from the main crowd. The restaurant was well laid out, with enough space between tables that adjacent conversations wouldn't be too distracting. There was also a band at the center of the restaurant, and a small dance floor. Amadeus assumed that it would fill up later, once everyone had finished their meals, when he suddenly remembered with a jolt that he couldn't dance.

_Uh oh. Let's..hope it's easy to pick up. _

Their seat ended up being along the windows, with a perfect view outside. The waitress gave them their menus, told them she'd be back to take their orders, and then left.

"Let's hope we don't run into anyone. I'd like this evening to be just us, you know? We haven't really had enough of that time yet." Amadeus looked across the table. He just couldn't take his eyes off her; _she was just so stunningly beautiful. _She caught him staring and blushed, quickly trying to change the subject.

"What shall we eat? They have quite the menu." The couple perused the menu thoroughly, before making their decisions just as the waitress returned.

"Hello, and welcome to the Running Spirits Inn. What can I get you today?"

"I'll have the bear fillet, and she'll have the red herring." The waitress nodded and collected their menus, leaving them alone once more.

"So..Cordelia, I've been meaning to ask; why haven't you told me more about your family?" Amadeus had been curious for quite some time; especially since he had no recollection of a family, he was quite curious as to how the dynamics of one worked, and in light of recent events, thought it would be good to know. It was also quite difficult to find books about families in the library.

"Oh, well, I didn't want to say anything insensitive, because you don't remember your family. But if you want to know, then I can tell you." Amadeus nodded, and she went on.

"I've lived in Ylisstol my entire life. My dad was actually a very important person to the previous Exalt, Chrom's father, but after he waged the first war with Plegia, he didn't really want to stay involved because he was against it. My mother was one of the pegasus knights of old before; she retired after she had me, I guess because she wanted to take care of me. They still live in Ylisstol, and they're both healthy and happy now. Maybe when we get back I can introduce you to them? I've mentioned you in the last couple letters, you know. I'm sure they'd like to meet you."

"Of course. I can hardly wait already." He paused, and she held her hands out across the table for him to take. They sat there in a comfortable silence, each gazing at the other and enjoying the rare quiet moment together until their food came.

They took their time with their meals; having gotten used to rations consisting of dried meat, they both felt that this was the best meal they'd had by far. They took turns sampling each other's food, and generally had a great time. Looking around, it seemed that almost every couple within the Shepherds was there in the restaurant. Amadeus found Chrom and Sumia, Stahl and Maribelle, Frederick and Cherche, and Gaius and Nowi. When they'd finished, Amadeus could tell that Cordelia was eyeing the dance floor. However, he was loathe to admit that he didn't know how to dance, and even more loathe to show it in front of all their friends in the restaurant. An idea started forming in his head.

He hurriedly paid for the meal, and led Cordelia outside the building. Since most people had finished their dinner and were staying inside to either listen to the band or dance with their loved ones, the road outside was mostly empty save for the odd straggler. The soft moonlight shone on them, and he found himself staring at her for what must have been the hundredth time.

"Cordelia..you're probably wondering why I dragged you out here, right?" Without waiting for an answer, he took her hand. "Well...I don't know how to dance..and I was hoping you'd teach me." She laughed at his meekness.

"Well, it's not too difficult…" She took his left hand in hers, and put his right hand around her waist before putting her right arm on his shoulder. "This song is in triple time; do you know what that means?"

"No?"

"Well, it means there's three beats per measure. And so...first I'll teach you the waltz, which is what we dance to songs in triple time." She led him with her steps, and he followed. Step, follow, step, follow.

As Amadeus began picking up the steps and feeling more fluid, he decided to improvise a bit; as she moved away, he took his hand off her waist and let Cordelia go into a spin, catching her at just the right moment. Cordelia looked breathless at this, and he grinned at his sheer audacity in trying such a move with such little experience. Their eyes met, and all he could see in her eyes was love, love for him and only him. He pulled her back upwards into a tight embrace, and they kissed.

The moon watched from above, a gentle smile formed by the crescent and two bright stars above it as she watched a young couple reaffirm their love.

* * *

**Phew! This was actually pretty tough to write, hence the longer delay between chapters. I wasn't too sure how I really wanted to depict Severa and Morgan, so hopefully you guys will all be satisfied with this. Also, I hope I portrayed the initial awkwardness right; can you imagine what it'd be like to meet your daughter from the future? Keep in mind that Cordelia is the mother, yet they've only been dating for a few weeks. So, yea, I wanted to try to make it a bit awkward, especially at first.**

**I liked how they warmed up to each other so quickly though. We can see that Amadeus is going to be the kind of father who spoils his little girls..and even though they aren't little, to his and Cordelia's eyes, they're always going to be their children, which means that they'll always do anything they can to make them smile. Another interesting thing I noted while writing this was that Severa and Morgan turned out to be much more mature than I thought I would make them (probably more so in Severa's case). Severa is only snarky because she's scared of letting people get too close, and having them torn away; that's why the promise that she makes when initially meeting her parents is so important. **

**Lastly, the final scene is almost straight out of my first date experience. I remember having to tell my date that I had no idea how to dance whatsoever..like anything at all, be it classical dance or modern dance (thankfully, we didn't do modern dance). My date actually taught me on the spot, so I didn't have the privacy of the darkness to learn, I had to mess up in front of everyone. I decided to spare Amadeus this embarrassment, and I also felt like it was a good romantic opportunity; who wouldn't want to dance in the moonlight with the love of their life? **

**Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed it! Next chapter they'll slowly continue their way back home to Ylisstol from Valm, and Severa may have something to question her dad about!**

**OOPS! I FORGOT TO REPLY TO REVIEWS. Anyways, here we go.**

**Flipnhaole: heh, yes, I can only imagine what it'd be like if a guy had to go through that in real life :)**

**Patient 0 Zero: thank you so much! it really means a lot to get compliments like that from you guys. after all, the point is for you guys to enjoy the story, so I'm glad that I've been able to do that so far! The thing about Walhart reflecting it, I think I meant it to just be reflected back towards its source. sorry for any confusion there.**

**Jozern: hopefully you've seen in this chapter that I tried to spice it up in terms of details! i've been trying to keep what you told me in mind when I write.**

**Astrofur: thanks so much for your compliments as well! I'm glad that you've stayed with the story and are planning to; hopefully, this chapter brings a lot of the fluff that you mentioned, and I hope you enjoy it lots! I'm also keeping your suggestion in mind; don't worry, it should pop up in a couple chapters or so. :) **

**THANKS GUYS! Enjoy :)**


	11. Chapter 10

Amadeus stood out on the deck, enjoying the fresh sea breeze. They were on the ships, making their way back across the sea towards Regna Ferox, and eventually, Ylisstol. The morning was still a light, dark blue; the sun hadn't come up yet. He leaned against the railing, pushing his head over it ever so slightly to take in the dark, waving water beneath the wooden ship. He replayed the past few days in his mind. After Cordelia had spent most of the night teaching him to dance on the dirt road of Clera, they'd returned to their room to retire for the night. They hadn't actually slept together before; the most they'd done was nap together in the medical tent when Amadeus had been injured, and both were a bit nervous about it. Amadeus had changed into his nightclothes and just finished shaving, and exited the washroom.

Cordelia lay there on the bed, looking half asleep already. He stood in front of the washroom door, a bit unsure of what to do.

_Gods, you're such a dolt sometimes. Why didn't you just go over?_

He stood for what seemed like an eternity, before she tossed and murmured over to him.

"Amy? How long have you been standing there? Come to the bed and sleep." She sleepily beckoned him over, and he finally made his way over. Lifting the sheets, he climbed in and lay next to her. They lay awkwardly next to each other, neither really knowing where to put their hands, how to conform their bodies to each other's, and so they fell asleep.

While on the march, they still slept on separate cots; although they now shared a tent, neither really knew what sleeping with each other consisted of, as that night had shown; add that to the fact that they wanted Morgan and Severa to live with them, so they decided that sleeping in the same room but on different beds was as far as they wanted to advance their relationship for now.

However, before they'd gone to sleep the night before, he'd gotten the sense that she wanted to try going further. She'd pulled him towards her cot, and nuzzled against him before quickly falling asleep; she'd also seemed reluctant to let him go back to his own cot, asking him to massage her multiple times throughout the night. He wanted to do more, but his own ineptitude at these matters kept him from mustering up the courage to try anything.

"Amadeus! Morning." He turned and saw Stahl, yawning and, predictably, eating. He took up a spot next to Amadeus and they stared out at the sky, now tinged orange with the rising morning sun.

"Stahl, I have a question..it might seem awkward to you." The green-clad cavalier turned to face him. "Er...how do I phrase this properly. Um.."

"Amadeus, are you okay? You're turning awfully red right now, you know." Stahl looked at him with concern.

"Oh, don't pay attention to him. He's wondering how to approach Cordelia _in the bedroom_." Sumia apparently had heard them, and invited herself to the discussion.

"Well..um...yes? In a sense; not, you know, _that sense_, but, er, what do you do when you...share a bed?" He took a breath, before accepting the embarrassment that he was bringing on himself. "I don't know anything; where do my hands go? What do I do with them? Anything! I don't know what I'm doing…" He spoke quickly and softly, lest anyone else hear him on the boat. Sumia and Stahl both had to stifle their laughter before they answered.

"Well, I'm sure every girl's different..maybe Sumia can tell you more about that. But I _can _tell you how Maribelle enjoys being held? Normally...so if you're spooning-"

"Wait, what's spooning?"

"Really now. Are you so clueless that you don't even know what spooning is? C'mon!" Sumia couldn't believe what she was hearing, but Amadeus' eyes showed that he really had no clue. She sighed. "It's when the two of you are lying..er, kind of like spoons. So her back is against your chest, and you lie kind of like this." She gestured with her hands to show Amadeus.

"OH! Okay. Well, that helps. So I'd put my hands…" The three of them continued the discussion, the other two Shepherds having fun at the expense of Amadeus' inexperience, but ultimately helping him out.

"So I let her snuggle her backside against my chest, and then put my arms around like this?" Stahl and Sumia nodded.

"Oh, but Amy, don't forget to let her rest her head on your shoulder. You know, if it's not too bony. Girls like that."

"I'll try to remember that. Oh, and Sumia? Could you please stop calling me Amy? It's...kind of embarrassing."

"But that's exactly why I'm going to call you that, _Amy. _Better get used to it. Soon the whole camp's going to be calling you that. It _is _much easier than Amadeus, to be honest." She smirked. "Anyways, I think Chrom's going to be waking up soon, the sleepyhead. I'll see you guys around! Oh, and, Amadeus, if you want some _tips_, I could drop some books in your room. I do have some romance novels that might be helpful." He nodded at her as she left.

"Well, good luck when you go for it, Amy." Stahl winked at him, and Amadeus looked at him, aghast.

"N-no, I'm not trying to..you know! I just want to know what I'm supposed to do when we share a bed. That's all. I'm not..going there yet. I want to take it slow." Stahl shrugged his shoulders.

"You never know. Sometimes..it gets out of control. Anyways, how're the kids?" Stahl asked. "It's weird, kind of. They're our age..and yet since they haven't had parents, now that they've met us, it's almost like they automatically revert to being children again, because in their future we were all dead. Even though the future made them grow up so much faster than anyone ever should have to, now it's almost like they're living the childhood they missed." Amadeus mulled this over.

"You're right..I never thought of it that way. They never really had parents..even when they did, according to what Severa's told me, we were almost always out fighting. I guess it's all a new experience for them." Stahl nodded, and Amadeus caught himself before going on; he'd forgotten that Stahl had a child too. "Well, how's yours?" Stahl laughed.

"Oh, Brady? You've met him. Heart of gold, but people can only see what's on the outside. Maribelle's been trying so hard to teach him her 'proper' manners and mannerisms, and he's going along because he's missed her so much, but, you know, he's just not wired that way."

"I see. Don't worry, Maribelle will catch on to that. Or, maybe not. I don't know." The two friends shared a laugh.

"You know, it's going to be nice to go home and settle down for a while. Start a family, you know." Amadeus nodded.

"Well, we've all kind of had a head start on starting families now...it's going to be a bit awkward, huh? Imagine having a child in this timeline, while your child from another timeline is here." Amadeus winced and grabbed at his head. "All this time traveling has me confused. Ugh." He resumed his gaze out towards the rollicking sea as Stahl nodded his agreement.

"Yea, I don't really try to understand it much. All I know is that we're here, they weren't here, and now they're here, so now we're all together. Well, I'd better get going. Maribelle's morning tea is soon, and if I'm not 'punctual and presentable', she'll have my hide. By the way, Maribelle wanted me to invite you and Cordelia to tea tonight, so I'll see you later, _Amy_." He sprinted off before Amadeus could give him a punch on the arm.

As he smelled the sea breeze, he noticed that it had changed; it carried a distinct scent of lavender.

"Cordelia!" He could feel a smile spring to his lips as she ambled towards him, still a bit sleepy.

"Mm..Amy, why are you up so early? I woke up and you were gone." She fell into his arms.

"Oh, you know. A bit of fresh air. Remember last time we were on these boats? I was teaching you how to take care of Aster…" His mind suddenly flashed as he remembered the wyvern. With all the new developments in his personal life, he'd barely paid any attention to the poor thing. She was probably going to give him quite the treatment the next time he spent time with her.

"Oh, I remember. I also remember that you were still too craven to tell me how you really felt about me!" Even in her sleepy state, she was sharp.

"Heh. Well, you never told me, either. I was under the impression that you were always going to have feelings for Chrom, and I'd be stuck here chasing you for the rest of my life." She slapped him lightly on his chest.

"I guess I'm glad you're wrong, for once. By the way, you never did tell me. When did you start having feelings for me?" She gave him a teasing look, and he countered with a cheeky smile.

"Well, you never told me either, so I guess if I tell you, then you'll have to tell me."

"W-what! Fine. But you first."

"It was actually after we sparred that first time. Remember? When I caught you staring off at Chrom and Sumia?" Her eyes widened.

"It was _that _long ago? Why didn't you just say something earlier! You would have saved me a lot of emotional stress…" He chuckled and pulled her closer for a quick peck on the forehead.

"Well, I wasn't _too _sure at that point. I thought you were just about the most beautiful person I'd ever seen before, and I was an idiot for missing it up until then, but I had yet to really get to know you. And then you started opening up to me...and just, everything you did made me feel even more strongly for you."

"Well, I never." He nodded and chuckled.

"Now, your turn. Tell me how this woefully lacking man managed to attract the Knight-Paragon of the Ylissean pegasus knights, and don't leave out any details!" She gave him another light slap.

"Amy, don't ever refer to yourself as lacking. You're so much more than you know…" She looked off into the distance. "Anyways, that first time I talked to you, I actually did so because you were the first person who'd actually offered; you said that if I ever wanted to talk about anything with you, I could, so I took you up on the offer..and then I found that you were so understanding, and it was so comforting to talk to you. And that was when I started feeling something..and I guess when we were on the ship, we got a lot closer, and after seeing how you struggled with your inner demons and helping calm you down about it, you know, I guess that's when it really started." He smiled.

"Well, why didn't _you _ever tell _me_? Then maybe we could have gotten started a bit earlier." He gave her a naughty smile, and she laughed back at him.

"I don't know, I didn't really have the best record with men at that time. Maribelle actually told me some interesting tricks to get you to notice, but I'll be honest, I didn't actually try them out; I was too shy, and some of them were rather..risque. Not to mention none of them worked on Chrom." Amadeus guffawed at his mental image of what Maribelle would have Cordelia do.

"That's...I'm glad you didn't listen to her. And, you know, I couldn't be happier that we're together right now."

"Me, too."

He pulled her in closer, and she closed her eyes and rested against him.

* * *

There really wasn't much to do on the boat, as Amadeus had learned from his last sea voyage. Cordelia returned to their cabin after a while, and Amadeus said he wanted to spend some time with Aster before going back in. He whistled, and she dutifully flew over from the mounts' ship.

"Hey there, girl." He reached out to pet her gleaming purple head, but she turned her head away. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, okay? Here, I have some treats for you." He took out a large chunk of meat from his robes, and offered it up to her. "Let's go for a ride?" She chomped noisily on the food and lowered her back, but before he could get on, he felt a tug on his robes.

"Daddy? Can I go with you?" It was Severa.

"Of course, dear." He helped her climb on, and with a beat of Aster's mighty wings, they were off.

"So, Severa. Tell me about the future?" He was quite curious.

"Ugh, it was just fighting Risen all day and all night. We never got any real rest."

"I meant before that; you must have remembered what it was like before that war started, yes?"

"Hm..well, I remember some things. I remember you and Mother taking care of me and Morgan, and being really...you guys were the worst parents ever."

"Were we now?" He was genuinely hurt by this.

"N-no! Okay, I was lying. You and Mother were perfect...Oh, and I always thought that Mother still had something for Chrom." Amadeus stiffened. This was the exact thing he'd been dreading to hear.

"W-what? Er, what do you mean?" Severa looked satisfied at the effect.

"Well, you would often talk to yourself, and a lot of times, you seemed insecure about whether or not Cordelia really had feelings for you, or whether she'd just settled because she couldn't have Chrom. Now that I think of it, how do you know for sure that the same thing isn't going on here? How can you be so sure she really is fully devoted to you?" She gave him an intense stare.

"Er...well-"

"Has she..ever given you reason to doubt your feelings since the two of you got together?"

"N-no! Never!" He insisted. "When I got together with your mother, I made it clear that if she ever felt herself going back towards Chrom, she would have to be honest with me, and I trust your mother." He said it in a tone that clearly told her not to challenge him.

"Well, then. I admire you for not doubting."

"Thanks. Now, then...did you ever ride on Aster as a child? Did I ever introduce you?"

"No. You were never home, and when you were, you were always studying your books or attending meetings." He sighed, sensing a bit of resentment in her voice.

"Well then, when we get back on land, I'll take you into the village and we can have some father daughter time, alright?" He smiled at how her face lit up at the suggestion.

"Ooh! Can we go shopping again? I'm sure that the fashion of the times now is much better than what I knew…"

Amadeus put a hand up. _I guess that's why she got so excited._

"Er..no, Severa. We just bought you plenty…why don't you enjoy the things you bought for now? When you really need new things, we can go shopping."

"What? Daddy...did I do something wrong? Are you..mad at me?" Her lower lip jutted out in a pout, and her face had changed to an expression of despair.

"Severa..spare me the wounded treatment. No means no. We just bought you plenty…enjoy what you have!"

"Ugh, FINE. I'll just walk around in RAGS then. Gawds…" She started sniffling, changing her offensive.

"Severa..now, I'm not saying I won't buy you anything _ever. _I'm just saying that if you want something, you'll have to _earn _it. Unless, of course, it's something you absolutely need. If you help around with chores, like maybe helping your mother out with taking inventory, or sharpening weapons, or just keeping the garrison organized, then I'll reward you with something nice."

"GAWDS! What is this, my allowance? I'm not a child, you know!" Amadeus shook his head.

"No? Then stop acting like one. Honey, we won't just keep buying you things whenever you like. You have to earn it, and that's final. A little hardship in one's youth builds one's character."

"I had QUITE enough hardship in the future, thank you! Gawds, you don't think fighting Risen every day and fighting for my life wasn't enough hardship? And then I come here with Lucina to help you guys prevent that very future, and now you're saying I need MORE hardship in my life?"

"Severa…" Amadeus regretted his words; this was a lesson he needed to teach his daughter, but he'd made a serious mistake in overlooking his words.

"Hmph." She turned her face away from his, and the rest of their flight was in silence. Aster weaved through the air, and the fresh breeze was nice and cool in their faces, but every time he turned to speak to Severa, she would look pointedly away. Eventually, Aster rounded back to the boat, and Severa slunk off towards the cabin without a word after they landed. He heard the door slam behind her as he sent Aster back to her ship.

"Amy? Did you and Severa have an argument?" Cordelia had probably been in the room when Severa had returned, and presumably had read the slammed door as something gone wrong.

"Yea…" He held his head in his hands. "I need to be more careful of what I say in front of them..they've all gone through so much, even more than we have, probably. I forgot about that, and..I said something stupid and insensitive and now she hates me." He shook, and felt his eyes watering. Cordelia moved next to him, putting her arm around him. He hadn't expected to feel so strongly; was this what being a parent was like? To be so emotionally invested in someone that when they were angry at you, it was enough to rip you to shreds?

"Do you want to talk about it? If you want, I can talk to Severa about it as well, you know." He shook his head.

"No, I need to be the one to talk to her. She was asking to go on another shopping spree.." Amadeus chuckled through his tears. "She wanted to go shopping again, and I told her that we wouldn't just keep buying her whatever she liked, and that she had to earn it. She seemed okay with it, of course she protested at first, but then I said something that I shouldn't have; I said she needed more hardship to build character…" He buried his head back into his hands. "And she's been ignoring me ever since."

"Ah...well, give her some time. Maybe you can explain to her later? I'm sure she'll understand if you just try to talk nicely to her. Anyways..it looks like you're not the only one who's having trouble with the girls." He raised an eyebrow at her. "You know how Morgan doesn't remember anything from her past?" He nodded. "Well, she actually remembers a lot about you. She remembers almost everything you guys did together..But she has no memory of me." There was a tear making its way down her cheek. "For some reason, she can describe down to the last detail all the times the two of you studied together, and all the things you talked about..but she doesn't even remember my face." She was sobbing now. "What kind of mother must I have been for my own daughter to not even remember me?"

Amadeus put a reassuring arm around her. "There, there. I don't think she forgot because you were a bad mother-"

"But then why does she remember you so clearly? She obviously likes you more…not just the us from her timeline, but in this timeline too; she spent the whole morning talking about you, and not one mention of me!" Amadeus winced. "Cordelia, dear, I'm sure she loves you just as much-"

_BANG. _A sudden, loud noise that came from the general direction of their cabin rang out.

"Morgan! Severa!" The two rushed over, fearing the worst.

"Morgan! What are you doing?" Cordelia covered the cabin in two long strides and held back Morgan, who'd been bashing her head against the wall. "Morgan! Honey, are you okay? What were you thinking?" Cordelia was besides herself with fear, and Amadeus quickly pulled out his handkerchief to staunch the blood flowing from Morgan.

She was crying; whether from the physical pain or from something else, Amadeus didn't know, but he knelt down to his child as he held the handkerchief to her wound.

"Morgan, dear, er..why were you banging your head against the wall?" She sniffed loudly, before gathering herself for an answer.

"B-because...I feel bad b-because I d-don't remember anything about M-Mother! And I know it makes her sad, but I swear it wasn't because she was a bad mom! I don't know why I don't remember anything but you...Mother..I'm so sorry...I love you just as much as Father, I promise! I t-thought that..maybe I could knock some of my memories back..." She broke down crying, and Amadeus looked at Cordelia, as if to say _I told you so_. She didn't even notice him; she was looking at Morgan with such a tender expression, and tears were running down her face as well.

"Morgan...I don't care if you don't remember anything from your timeline about me. What matters is that we'll make new memories here, just like we have for your father since he joined us. And those memories are the only ones I expect you to remember about me, okay?" The girl nodded tearfully and buried her head into her mother's chest as her father looked on with a satisfied smile on his face.

"I love you, Mother. And you too, Father."

"We love you too, Morgan."

* * *

Morgan had a sizeable bump on her head from the debacle, but it would fade in time. They'd shared a laugh about it between each other, and even Severa managed to break from her facade of annoyance to crack a smile at her sister's antics. But while Cordelia and Morgan now got along well, especially due to their nightly sessions of what Morgan termed "Get Memories of Mom Back", Severa remained cold and even more snarky to Amadeus for the duration of the trip since they'd had their discussion. She'd also become cold towards Cordelia; Cordelia had to trade in her dessert in order to spend time with Severa, but Amadeus didn't even get that option.

They were to make land the next day in Regna Ferox. Severa still wasn't speaking to Amadeus, despite Cordelia's not-so-subtle suggestions. Amadeus was pacing the room while Cordelia watched.

"Cordelia, why won't she talk to me? I understand that she's upset about something, but why won't she just let me apologize for what I said?" She shook her head.

"I don't know. She won't tell me anything...and I doubt Morgan would tell us if Severa told her not to." Amadeus sighed, before coming to a decision.

"You know what. I'm going to go find her." He said it with a finality, and his girlfriend knew better than to try to deter him.

"Good luck." He nodded, and stepped out the door.

_Where could she be?_

"Gah! Not again!"

_Severa? _

He followed towards the source of the voice to find Severa in the weapons storeroom on the boat.

"Gawds! Why does nothing ever go right for me?" He saw her wince in pain.

"Um, Severa? What are you doing here?" She looked up at him, and her face instantly took on a scowl.

"I'm sharpening these stupid weapons that won't stay sharp! What does it _look _like I'm doing, Daddy? You told me to help out. So I'm helping out." She turned her head and stared at a corner of the room.

"And..that pile of broken swords behind you?" He gestured towards the back corner of the room. She snorted.

"It's not my fault those are defective! They're all bad! They fell apart and stuff when I tried to sharpen them! I'm pretty sure they're all too old to be of use anyways."

"Se-"

"Sorry I'm not so PERFECT at everything, like Mommy is! Sorry I'm so STUPID! Sorry I'm such a useless sack of bones! You should just throw me over a railing now and drown me in this stupid sea…"

"Severa, I-" He was cut off again.

"I burned the meal I tried to cook for you yesterday...I bought you something from a small village we passed, but then I lost it...I'm no help to anyone, and I'm useless! I'm just a bunch of dead weight you and Mommy have to drag around. Even Morgan is more help, and she has no memories! You must have had high hopes for me, given Mom's history. You must think of me as such a disappointment…" Now it was Amadeus' turn to wince. He had no idea what had been troubling his baby girl, and now that he knew, he cursed himself for not catching on, or at least not making enough of an effort to make sure she was okay. "Well? Any complaints? IF you have something to say, then just _say it now before you run me through._"

_Okay, that was a bit harsh. _

"Severa. Let me finish this time, okay?" She nodded. "I'm not disappointed at you in any way, Severa. I couldn't be happier that you came back to us. When Lucina told us that she had friends who made the time jump with her, I was with your mother, and the first thought that came to my mind was, what if one of them is _my _child? And it turns out I've been blessed with two beautiful daughters. I couldn't be happier that you came back to us"

"Oh, please. Stop mocking me. You really think I'm that stupid to fall for your words? Every time I messed up, someone would compare me to Mother. 'Oh, Cordelia did this so well, why can't you?' And you're closer to Mother than anyone! I know you think I don't measure up to her."

"Listen, dear. I wouldn't compare you to anyone, not even your mother. You're my daughter and my treasure, and I know that your mother feels the same way about you. We want you to grow up as your own woman." He paused. "I love you, honey, and I'll support you no matter what you do or how well you do it. So no more talk of you being a disappointment! It makes me feel like I failed you as a father, whether now or in your own timeline." Severa sniffed.

"What? N-no! Daddy, you didn't.." She sniffed again. "I'm so sorry! I..I didn't…" The tears flowed from her eyes now.

"There, there, honey. Don't cry. You've been through a lot, and it was wrong of me to say you needed more hardship. But I promise I'll do all I can to keep you from suffering ever again. And you _have _been doing your chores..how about that reward when we get back on land?" Her answer caught him by surprise as she threw her arms around him.

"No, I don't want it, Daddy. I just want you to promise me that you and Mommy won't leave me this time…"

"I'm sure we can arrange that." Cordelia had just entered the room with Morgan. "Honey, can we make a promise to Severa and Morgan?" She nodded as she made her way towards them.

"Severa, Morgan. As your parents, the two of us promise that we'll never leave you with a sad farewell again, and that we'll do whatever we can to keep you from suffering again."

"Is that an absolutely absolute promise?" Amadeus couldn't help but chuckle at Severa's question.

"Absolutely." He felt her little arms tighten around him.

"Well, I guess I can trust you now…" Amadeus and Cordelia looked at each other in surprise.

"Erm..you didn't trust us before?" Severa shook her head. "But you did, right, Morgan?" Morgan nodded in response.

"I've wanted to trust you guys basically since I met you...I wanted to tell you everything. But...then I remembered how much it hurt to lose both of you in the future...I don't want to be alone again! What if I trust you this time, and then both of you die on me again? I'd be..all alone again…but now I can trust you. I love you, Mommy, and I love you, Daddy."

"We love you too, Severa."

The family hugged tightly in the center of the room, the pile of broken weapons forgotten.

* * *

Night had fallen by the time the scout in the bird's nest spotted Port Ferox on the horizon. Having happily solved their disagreements and having learned of each other's insecurities, Amadeus could feel that his small family of four was much tighter now. He and Cordelia tucked the two young girls in, giving each a kiss on the forehead, before heading out to the tea that Maribelle had 'invited' them to. Neither really wanted to go, but with Maribelle, and 'invitation' was really only an invitation in the sound of the word; it's meaning really more closely resembled something like, perhaps, summoned.

Maribelle and Stahl's room was above theirs, so they climbed up the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" It was Stahl who answered the door. The two walked over to the table that someone had set up (Maribelle, presumably), and sat down.

"Ah, Cordelia and Amadeus! Thanks for coming. I really just wanted to know how the two of you are doing." Maribelle sipped her tea as she eyed the two.

"Er, well, we're doing fine!" Cordelia said. Amadeus wasn't really too sure what to say, so he grunted agreement before taking a sip of tea.

"Amadeus, dear, please sip like a person of class, instead of chugging the tea as if it's water from a canteen. Cordelia, I'm so glad it's worked out for you! This dolt of a man finally noticed that you were interested in him."

"H-hey, I'm not a dolt!" Maribelle waved him off.

"You know, Cordelia used to come to my tent to cry and sob over Chrom. Then, one day, she was suddenly talking about you, Amadeus." He raised an eyebrow. "Yes, she started talking about you, and how amazing you were. And then, when you didn't notice my poor girl's advances..she started sobbing and crying to me about _you. _You really are quite oblivious, aren't you? You have one of the most beautiful women in the world all over you, and you can't even realize it until Sumia tells it to your face?" He opened his mouth, but words wouldn't come out. Cordelia was laughing at how dumbfounded he looked. "Anyways, this girl was crying over you for a good two weeks before you somehow summoned enough common sense to ask her out. Lucky you, I should say; why she settled for you, I'll never know."

"Maribelle, that's enough." They spent the rest of the hour chatting and teasing a mortified Amadeus, before he and Cordelia excused themselves to go sleep.

"That was..embarrassing. Was I really so clueless? And did you really go to Maribelle to cry about me?" He couldn't help but smile at this revelation.

"...Yes. I wanted so much for you to at least show some sign of reciprocating…"

"But I did! _You_ just didn't catch _my _signs!" She only shrugged in response before planting a kiss on his lips. "Heh. Well, Severa was trying to prey on my doubts from before, but Maribelle seems to have inadvertantly assuaged my fears."

"Hm?" She looked up at him curiously.

"Oh, apparently, in the future, you weren't really over Chrom, and Severa was saying how I couldn't be sure if you were really over Chrom in this timeline…" He said it unaccusingly, but at the same time implied that he wanted a solid answer.

"That girl. She really is a handful, isn't she? Well, if what Maribelle told you isn't enough to sway you…" She took a deep breath.

"I..I love you, Amadeus. I really do. I love you with all my heart, and nothing will ever change that." She looked up at him, and the earnest look in her eyes told him that she wasn't lying.

_The eyes never lie. _

He took a deep breath of his own before replying with the phrase he'd wanted to say to her for so long, but that he wanted to say at the right moment. Something told him this was it.

"I love you too, Cordelia."

* * *

Amadeus reached his cabin filled with a sense of accomplishment. He'd smoothed over his relationship with his children, and had assuaged any lingering doubt about Cordelia's true affections. However, there was one more thing he wanted to accomplish.

As he climbed into his cot, he noticed Cordelia glancing over at him. He waited for the children to fall asleep before he put his plan into action. Quietly, he made his way to Cordelia's cot, shaking her lightly to wake her up.

"Mmm?"

"Mind if I join you?" He said with a grin.

"Mm..please do." He lifted the covers and gingerly made his way onto the bed. The warmth of their bodies instantly filled the space under the blanket, but he didn't mind. He gently put one hand around her waist, and wedged his other arm underneath her head, just as Stahl and Sumia had suggested. She nuzzled her body into his.

"Amy...hehe, this is comfy." She murmured into his ear before going back to sleep. He smiled to himself and left his arms wrapped around the woman he loved, and soon followed her into a deep slumber.

* * *

**And next chapter is up! This one was a lot more fun to write; obviously, I based the conflicts off of conflicts that ocurred in their supports with each other. I thought that having conflict would be a good way for the young family to bond together and to really get tighter. I'm considering having this story end when they reach Ylisstol, and then starting a new part that skips ahead to Grima's return; let me know what you guys think of that in the comments! Another option is to follow the timeline of the game, where they go directly to perform the Awakening to fight Grima, who was reawoken pretty much right after they got back to Ylisse. **

**We also see that Amadeus and Cordelia finally say the three magic words! Honestly, I thought I was making it too big of a deal and making them wait for too long, but then I realized that it really is that significant; those aren't words that should just be thrown around. And the timing, right after Amadeus has been assuaged of any real lingering doubts, signifies a turning point in their relationship; Amadeus has no more reason to doubt his girlfriend, which should stop holding him back. **

**The accounts of not knowing what to do when sleeping together are somewhat based on my experience. No, I was NOT so clueless as to not know what spooning was; I was, however, that clueless when it came to where the heck to put my hands (Needless to say, I'm much more experienced and knowledgeable now). **

**The conflict with Morgan was pretty easy to decide on; she feels bad about not remembering her mother, and she lets on that she knew how it affected Cordelia so. The conflict with Severa has more depth, and I'll explain why.**

**Severa and the other children came from Lucina's future, where Grima had taken over and destroyed the world. As a result, they're a lot more..pessimistic. A lot of them have Severa's problem; having seen a future where none of their parents survived, and having felt the pain of losing not one, but both parents, and essentially everyone close to them, they don't want to have to go through it again. But they don't know how to avoid it, so they try the only way that they can think of: distancing themselves from their current parents, so that if they are lost, it won't hurt as much. But as they spend more time together, they realize that maybe, this time is different, and eventually, they will open up to their new parents in the current timeline. They realize that they crave the love and affection that they lost, and after receiving that from their parents, they learn to hope once more and be optimistic that maybe, just maybe, this world will be different. **

**Morgan is a different case. With her amnesia, she doesn't have all the memories of gloom and doom. Instead, she just has happy memories with her father, so she's much more eager to connect with and get close with her parents, which is why her conflict is a lot less overblown/dramatic. **

**ALSO, I would like to emphasize that Amadeus and Cordelia are just sleeping together. I'm not having them go that far just yet. It's just personal preference, I don't think they're ready yet. **

**Now for the reviews! **

**Jozern: I agree with you on that! I actually thought that I could set it up like this because at the initial meeting, everyone was so happy to meet the others in their family that it pretty much overshadowed everything; hopefully, in this chapter, we see some issues as they settle down together. It's kind of like when you get a new toy, and you think that everything about it is amazing, but as you play with it longer, you realize that there are some kinks and flaws in it; it doesn't make it any less amazing, but you're just getting to know it that much better. I'll try to put in some more conflict; shouldn't be hard with Severa being her snarky self.**

**Astrofur: Hopefully this chapter shows you some of the depth! I'm trying hard to develop some more in the upcoming chapters, so hopefully I won't disappoint you/other readers! Look for your suggestion or something similar to it in the next two chapters, most likely once the family returns to Ylisstol. **

**To the guest reviewer: I actually haven't really thought about a child romance..perhaps another story? **

**If you guys have any ideas for child romance pairings/whether I should integrate that into this story, or whether it could be a separate story that I could write, let me know in the comments! **

**Thanks again for reading, and enjoy! 3**


	12. Chapter 11

"Finally!" Severa and Morgan were jumping at the railing, so ready to be off the confines of the boat.. The sun's rays smiled over them, and the vivid blue sky lacked any sign of a cloud as the Shepherds neared the familiar town of Port Ferox.

Their boat docked, and they quickly unloaded their things so that the other ships could dock as well. Soon, everything was organized and loaded into the convoy, and the entire army was back on familiar ground.

"Ah, it's nice to be home, boy." Basilio had gotten off the last boat, along with Flavia.

"Yes, it's nice to be back on land that _I'm_ ruling. Amadeus, I must say, that was some legendary battle planning. Are you sure you don't want to take up my offer of being the tactician for East Ferox?" Before Amadeus could answer, Basilio interrupted.

"Ha! He'd sooner kiss my big brown-"

"Oaf! We get it." A resonating slap to the face quieted the West Khan. Amadeus chuckled as he shook his head at the two khans.

"Sorry, Flavia, Basilio. I owe everything to Chrom...and, if I were to stay in Regna Ferox, where would my dear lady stay?" Cordelia smiled as Amadeus put an arm around her. "We'll make sure to visit; just try to make it so that Raimi doesn't try to kill us next time?" They all laughed at the memory of their first meeting.

"Of course. _Amy _here would rather kiss my big brown Feroxi arse before leaving his dear girl." Amadeus sighed. It seemed that _everyone _would be calling him by Cordelia's pet name for him now. Flavia interrupted his thoughts.

"You Shepherds will stay for at least the day? Today is the Harvest Festival, and I'm sure you and your troops will enjoy it. There will be produce aplenty, shops, a carnival, and fireworks tonight. Enjoy yourselves here for tonight before you head home to Ylisse tomorrow." Flavia gestured at Castle Ferox and the city that surrounded it, where Amadeus assumed the celebration would be.

"Hm. I guess it's up to Chrom. I'm not sure how quickly he wants to get home. Speak of the devil. Chrom!" He waved over at his friend.

"Ah, Amy. What is it?" Amadeus winced.

"Chrom...just Amadeus is fine. Anyways, Flavia says that there's a pretty big celebration in Ferox tonight. Shall we stay? Or march on back towards Ylisse?" Chrom's face lit up.

"We'll stay, of course. We've just won a war. I think we're entitled to a couple days of celebration, don't you think so, Amy?"

"CHROM!" He got up and chased after the woohooing king.

* * *

After getting to Castle Ferox, the Shepherds quickly set up camp and put their things away, eager to explore the festival that awaited them.

Amadeus wore his "grubby old coat" as he stood outside the tent waiting for the girls and Cordelia to get ready. He stood outside tapping his feet when Chrom walked by.

"Amy! What are you up to now?" He decided that the best course of action regarding his new name in camp was to ignore it completely.

"Just waiting for the girls, you know. I'm sure you know what it's like…" Chrom laughed.

"Yes, friend. They do take a while to get ready. Want to head down to the festival together? I'm sure Cynthia and Lucina would love the company of Severa and Morgan." Amadeus nodded his agreement, and the two stood outside, waiting.

The sun had begun to drop in the sky, her tired rays changing color from a bright, radiant yellow to a dim, murky orange.

"So how're your kids, Chrom?" The king shuffled his feet.

"Well, Lucina's been here for a while, so I'm used to having her around. Cynthia is...well, she's kind of like a ball of energy. She's just always bouncing around off the walls...literally and figuratively. And it's really weird; she's so obsessed with being, as she says, 'epic' or something. It's kind of like Owain, but on a lesser scale." He laughed. "They're all unique in their own way. How about you? How're the kids treating you?"

Amadeus shook his head.

"I know what you mean. They're all so..energetic. Severa's a handful; you've probably noticed that she's really snarky, but underneath it all she's as loving as any of them. Morgan's pretty bouncy too energetic too. But the other day, we found Morgan banging her head against a wall trying to bring back memories of Cordelia…"

Chrom laughed. "Kids, huh. Never would have imagined them so soon."

"Well, you and Sumia already have baby Lucina; it can't have been too odd." Chrom nodded.

"Daddy!" Chrom turned towards the voice. Cynthia had come sprinting out, followed by Lucina and their mother. All of them had left behind their battle gear; thankfully, it looked like Sumia had picked their outfits, rather than Lucina. Amadeus shuddered as he remembered Lucina asking him his opinion of the purple polka-dotted dress that she'd wanted to buy for Sumia.

"Hello, Cynthia. Lucina, Sumia." Chrom hugged the three of them, and they all turned to face Amadeus.

"So, Amy, where's your family?" Sumia smirked at the use of the nickname.

_I guess it's never going to get old…_

"Yea! Severaaa! Morgannn! Let's gooooo!" Cynthia yelled into the tent flap while the others laughed at her enthusiasm. As if in response, the rest of Amadeus' family finally made their way out of the tent. They, too, had abandoned their war attire in favor of more casual dresses.

"Oh! Hello, Chrom, Sumia. Children, say hi to Uncle Chrom and Aunt Sumia!" Cordelia smiled over at Amadeus as their two children greeted the king and the queen.

"Shall we, then?" Amadeus gestured towards the sounds of the festivities and took Cordelia's hand, and the two families made their way towards the festival.

Along the way, they noticed how different the world looked when not in war. The trees looked more spry, their leaves were greener, and the sky seemed more blue than ever. They soon reached the gates of the festival, and could see the merry revelations in front of them.

The view reminded them of the celebration in Clera. There was fresh produce available everywhere, all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Apples, cranberries, and grapes littered the stands, as did multiple vegetables, many of which Amadeus had never seen before. Even Chrom's eyes widened; some of the vegetables were new to him as well. Carts and makeshift stalls lined the sides of the roads, extending all the way down to the horizon. All in front of them, people swarmed and filled up the streets. The voices of peddlers could be heard, trying to hassle down prices, and they mixed in with the voices of the vendors, who yelled out and promoted their wares as best they could in the rowdy environment.

"Here! Fresh fruit and vegetables for sale!"

"Apples! Bigger and better than any other stand!" The voices rang out, and Amadeus let himself drink in the unfamiliar atmosphere.

They continued along the path of stalls, running into many Shepherds along the way. Stahl was being pulled away from all the fresh fruit by Maribelle while Brady laughed at them, he saw Frederick clearing rocks on the path for Cherche and their son, Gerome, and apparently, Gaius and Nowi were a thing, because he saw them walking together with _their _child, Nah. All of them seemed to be overwhelmed by the festival, and Amadeus could guess why; they'd probably never experienced something like this in their future.

Intertwined with the produce stalls were the occasional small souvenir stand and carnival games. When they reached a souvenir shop, he felt Severa tugging at his hand, and relented.

"Alright, we'll take a look, dear. Chrom, you guys wanna come?" The small group made their way through the crowd and towards the small souvenir stand.

"Oooh! Look!" Morgan pointed towards what looked like some wooden carvings. "Look, Father! They look like you and Mother! And I found one that looks like Uncle Chrom!" She pointed out the specific ones as she found them.

"What? Whoa! Cordelia, look!" He pulled one out that was carved into his girlfriend's likeness. "It's you! I wonder why they have these, though?" Chrom answered him.

"Judging from a lot of the conversations I've overheard, I think we're somewhat like celebrities here; I mean, we _were _fighting to preserve their freedom. I guess this is just their way of honoring-" He was cut off by an out of breath Lucina. "Er..Lucina? Are you all right?" The young girl nodded.

"Yes, Father. It was a close call, though! I was afraid that some greed-addled mob may beat me to purchase one of these figurines of you and Mother, so I rushed to get them beforehand."

"Er…Lucina, they still have more of them in stock..I don't think-" Chrom was cut off again.

"No! I cannot risk this! I must have these mementos; the risk of not getting one was too great." Amadeus and Cordelia looked at each other before bursting out into laughter. They soon left the souvenir stall, after the other children had also purchased figurines of their parents.

"Morgan, Severa, do you really each need your own?" Amadeus asked.

"...We did think about it, Father." Morgan's reply was oddly somber, and she looked at the other children. "But we realized something before we bought them. We don't really belong in this world, and we also know that you're not out true parents; those people existed in a different timeline, and they're gone now. So once you and Mother have your children from this timeline, you know, we'll leave you alone. But for now, we want to enjoy as much as possible the time we have together, so that when we do have to leave, it'll be without any regrets, and we'll take away all the happy memories that we will have made."

Amadeus could see tears brimming in the children's eyes as Morgan said this, and he could feel his own eyes burning. He glanced over at Cordelia, who was also crying, and Chrom and Sumia, who were as well. Cordelia reached out to her daughters, and Amadeus did the same, while Chrom and Sumia pulled their children into their own small hug.

"Honey…" Cordelia cleared her throat and sniffed. "Don't you ever talk about leaving us alone again. Even after the kids from this timeline have been born, you're going to stick around. We made you a promise, didn't we? No more leaving you alone, and we're going to keep that promise." Amadeus nodded as he spoke to support her words.

"And even if people think it's odd, don't worry. I'll think of a way to keep you all around. It's a tactician's job to think of crazy schemes to get things to work, isn't it? And I'll definitely find a way to keep you all around. You won't be lonely ever again, and that's one promise that I'm not about to break." Amadeus smiled.

_I guess we're getting better at this whole parenting thing_, he though as he made brief eye contact with a beaming Cordelia.

They quickly broke the huddle as people began noticing them and pointing them out, and they continued down the endless row of stalls. Soon, they'd reached the back end of the stalls, where the shops began giving way to more carnival style games.

"Daddy! Can we play this one?"

"Oh! Look! Morgan, let's try to win that prize!" The girls scampered about from game to game as their parents took a seat and watched. All too soon, the sun had decided to go into hiding for the day, bringing out the gleaming moon. They called the girls back, and the four returned with their arms full of the small prizes that carnival games always give out as consolation prizes.

"Well, you guys have quite the haul. Did you win anything you wanted?" Severa pouted at this and shook her head.

"No, Uncle Chrom! We couldn't get the big stuffed pegasus, and Morgan found this book she wanted but she couldn't win it either! And Cynthia couldn't win this, and Lucina wanted-" She bit her lip and began to cry. Cordelia nudged Amadeus while Sumia simultaneously did the same to Chrom, and the two men sighed as they looked at each other.

"Okay, okay. We'll see what we can do." Severa grabbed his hand and pulled him off back towards the games, while everyone followed.

"That one! Severa pointed at one of the stalls, and Amadeus' eyes moved over.

"This one?" He pointed at the pegasus that he presumed Severa was talking about, and she nodded. He looked over at the setup and realized that it was a ring toss.

"Er...excuse me, sir, what do I need to do to get this pegasus?" He addressed the man running the stall.

"Aye, sir, that's a fine prize indeed. You'd need to get 5 rings on." Amadeus thought about it.

"Well, that's not bad. And how about that book...and, well, Chrom? Do you see what your kids wanted here?"

He nodded.

"Shall we, then?" They passed the gold over to the man and took their rings.

He tossed the first one and missed completely.

"Oops." Severa slapped him lightly.

"Daddy! You can't miss like that! You need to get the prize for us!"

"Severa, honey, I do know how to play this game." He sighed.

_I can't believe I'm doing this. _He let fly with the second ring.

"Ha!" He let out an exclamation as it settled around the post. "So..I need to get four more. Shouldn't be...oh." His face sunk as he realized why he 'only' needed to make five. They only got six tosses, which meant that..

"Ugh. I can't miss again?" Severa shook her head. "Well, then. Here goes."

Four tosses later, Severa had her prize, and now it was Morgan's turn. Amadeus grinned evilly at Cordelia, who shook her head vigorously.

"Oh, I think it's only fair if I win one and your mother wins the other one, don't you think so, Morgan?" Morgan turned her big eyes towards Cordelia, giving her the look that always worked instantly on her father.  
"Mother, please? I've been looking for that book everywhere…" Cordelia sighed as she finally relented.

"Okay, dear, I'll see what I can do. If we don't get it, though, you can blame your father." She stepped forward to take the next set of rings.

Next to him, Amadeus could see Cynthia hugging Chrom after he'd won her the prize she wanted, and saw Sumia stepping forwards to try to get Lucina the prize she'd wanted.

"Heh. Piece of cake, huh?" Chrom nodded. "How many did you have to make?"

"Oh, me? I only had to get two on there. Psh. Got it on the first two. How about you?" Amadeus sighed.

_Of course, Severa wants the biggest prize there is. _

"I had to make five..but I got it anyways." Chrom slapped his tactician on the back.

"You know, Amy, this whole parenting thing isn't really that bad." Amadeus sniggered.

"Well, you were already a parent, with baby Lucina back home. It's new for the rest of us, though-" He was interrupted by Cordelia returning with Morgan, who happily clutched her new book in one hand, and her mother's hand in the other.

"Oh, you got it?" Cordelia nodded.

"Shall we get dinner, then? We don't want to eat too late and miss the fireworks!"

* * *

By the time they'd found a restaurant to eat dinner, most of the stalls were winding down and packing up in preparation for the nighttime fireworks. They agreed on a nice, small diner near the center of town, so they could take their time eating without fear of missing the evening fireworks.

The diner itself was quite simple; there were spread out tables to accommodate various party sizes, and the walls had large windows looking out towards the city. The walls were painted a soft pastel green, and chandeliers hung above each table, lighting up the room.

They were all well into the main dishes.

"So, Mother. You never told me in the future..how did you and Father meet?" Cynthia seemed quite curious, and Amadeus laughed.

"Oh, your father and mother? Did you know that Chrom confessed his love to Sumia and proposed to her on the same day?"

"WHATT? Father, you mean you didn't court her or anything? You just said..'hey, I like you', and Mom was like, 'hey, I like you too', and you guys got married? BOORING." She looked disappointed as Chrom and Sumia smiled shamefacedly.

"Well-" Amadeus interrupted again.

"Actually, since both of your parents are so oblivious, they'd had crushes on each other ever since I met them, but they never knew the other liked them until that day. So basically, Chrom went around talking about Sumia all the time to me, and Sumia went around talking to Cordelia all the time about Chrom." Amadeus had a smug grin on his face as he turned to Cordelia. "I'm not sure what Sumia said, but you should have heard Chrom. 'Oh, the way her hair flows behind her when she's on her pegasus! And her eyes! Even when she trips and falls, it's so cute!'" Amadeus gave his voice a lofty, school-boyish tone to imitate Chrom, who'd gone stark red. Cordelia caught the cue, and continued.

"Don't laugh, Sumia. I remember some of the things you were saying, too. 'Oh, so handsome! And he looks so noble too. And have I mentioned that he's so...muscular? Those biceps! I was just looking at the Brand, but then I noticed those muscles...'" Cordelia's voice had gone up an octave to imitate Sumia, who had joined her husband in flushing furiously.

"Er..yes, well. I'm sure Severa and Morgan want to know how their parents met, no?" Chrom quickly tried to change the subject, much to Amadeus and Cordelia's horror.

"Um..I think that can be a story for another time." Amadeus quickly shook his head, hoping his daughters would get the hint.

Needless to say, they didn't. Morgan grinned evilly as she spoke up.

"So, Father, how did you and Mother get together?" Severa nodded.

"Yes, yes tell us! And don't leave out ANY details." She leaned back in her chair and sat contentedly.

"So as you know, your mother and I actually-" Chrom cut off Amadeus.

"Actually, Amadeus had a huge crush on your mom for about two weeks. But for some reason, he thought that he had no chance at your mother, so he spent the next two weeks moping around." Chrom turned to Sumia, who continued the 'story'.

"And your mother was so paranoid that your father was interested in some other girl, that she came over to _me _and started crying and sobbing." It was Amadeus and Cordelia's turns to turn beet red. "So one night, Cordelia's crying to me in her tent, and I run into your oblivious father, who _still_ doesn't know that this amazing woman can see nothing but him, and I have to lay it out for him that she actually has feelings for him. So basically, I was the matchmaker for your parents."

"Er..yea. That's pretty much right." Amadeus could feel his face burning. "ANYWAYS. Let's talk about something else, shall we?" He picked up his tea to sip it, trying to hide his still-red face behind his cup. "How about _your _love lives, girls? I'm sure that if any of you are interested in any of the young men, your parents should know." The evil grin had returned to Amadeus' face. "So? Who wants to go first?"

Morgan and Cynthia, being the younger children, didn't have much reaction to this; they simply shook their heads and said there wasn't anyone. Lucina and Severa, however, both turned away as their faces began to flush, and this did not go unnoticed by her parents.

"So..Severa. Who is this boy you like?"

'...not really...he's...cute.." She mumbled. Cordelia's eyes flew wide.

"What? Who is this boy?" Severa only shook her head, and Cordelia sighed. "Honey, tell us! Your parents need to know who it is. We just want to protect you...just in case it's that philanderer Inigo. We don't want him to lead you on and….oh dear." Cordelia stopped as she realized the effect the name had on Severa. "Inigo? Really? Out of ALL the guys there, you choose the one that's pretty much a carbon copy of Virion?"

Severa kept on mumbling.

"...not as bad as you think...nice...cute…" She wouldn't form a coherent sentence, as everyone looked on and laughed. Severa put her head up indignantly for a second, and upon seeing Lucina laughing along, she pointed at the princess.

"Lucina, you shouldn't be laughing! I know about you and Brady!" Lucina's expression went from one of mirth to one of pure horror at this, and she instantly sunk deeper into her chair.

"SEVERA! I told you not to mention that…"

The parents looked at each other and smiled, enjoying this strikingly normal family dinner.

* * *

The moon shone bright and the crickets chirped.

"It's nice out tonight, isn't it?" Amadeus said as he put an arm around Cordelia and another around Morgan. Severa had gone off to watch the fireworks with Inigo, so it was just the three of them. They were sitting on a large field, waiting for the fireworks.

"I-it's r-really c-cold, F-Father." Morgan was shivering from the Feroxi cold, so Amadeus took off his cloak and draped it around her.

"There, dear. Hopefully that'll help a bit." She yawned nodded thanks and lowered her head onto his lap and opened the book that she'd gotten earlier and tried to read in the moonlight. Cordelia leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Have you ever seen fireworks, Amy?" He shook his head. "Hm. Well, I guess not. You've only known war and fighting since you've been with us…" She bit back a tear. "Now that this war's over, and we're together, hopefully we can make some memories that aren't related to a battlefield." Amadeus nodded.

"Everything's going to change, isn't it? Like you said, I've only really known war..even the two years after the Plegian War, something told me that the fighting wasn't over, so I never really got to appreciate it. But now...now, we'll get to lead as normal of a life together as possible. It's going to be so different from everything I've come to know...but you'll help me through it, won't you, honey?" Cordelia nodded.

"Yes, everything is going to change..but for once, it's going to change for the better. I love you, Amy."

"And I love you too, Cordelia." Their lips met, just as the first brilliant red flare lit up the sky. The three turned their attention towards the lights, and Amadeus was awestruck.

Bursts of red flared through the sky, exploding at their apex into tens of falling red stars. Green flares made their way onto the black canvas as well, and some of the flares even burst into shapes and designs. The entire breathtaking show lasted for only a minute, but to Amadeus and his child, it was as if they were witnessing one wonder after another.

"Wow. Morgan, wasn't that amazing? Er..Morgan?" The girl had fallen fast asleep on his lap.

"Heh. Guess it's been a pretty eventful day for her. Should we head home then, Amy?" Amadeus nodded, and gingerly picked up the sleeping girl.

When they reached their tent, he gently lay her on her cot and tucked her in. The girl was clutching the book that her mother had won her, so he pried it loose and set it on the table next to her bed before kissing her forehead.

"Good night, Morgan." Cordelia came over to kiss her daughter goodnight as well, and then the two parents went off to bed.

* * *

Since it was a short march back to Ylisse, the Shepherds woke at their own pace. Amadeus woke to find that the tent was empty; apparently, he'd slept in a lot later than he'd planned. He quickly went out to shave and brush his teeth and change into his normal clothes, and stepped out to meet everyone.

"Nya ha ha! Morning, Amadeus!" He knew who it was before turning around to see who was greeting him.

"Morning, Henry. How's everything going?" Amadeus asked the dark mage.

"Ah, it's all great. I got a new scarf too! Perfect for fighting off the Feroxi cold..although I _did _try to get frostbite, and see if that would make me bleed!" Amadeus sighed. The man's obsession with blood was something that he just didn't get.

"Oh. Did you get the scarf from the festival yesterday?"

"Oh. Nope. Cordelia actually gave it to me! She said she was knitting it for a 'married man', but then I asked if I could have it and she said okay. Nya ha! So I got a free scarf! You're a lucky man, Amadeus; you shoud get her to make you one too!" Amadeus froze.

_She was knitting for a married man…? Chrom? _

_No, a lot of the Shepherds are married. _

_Well, no, they're not; they're all engaged, but only one pair is actually married…_

_No! I already established that I'm not going to doubt her. I'm the only one in her heart.._

_But are you?_

He staggered back into his tent, reeling.

"Daddy! Are you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost!" Severa had apparently come back into the tent at some point.

"Severa! Oh, no, don't worry, I'm fine." He shook his head. He didn't want his daughters to catch on to his relationship paranoia.

"Daddy! There's something wrong, isn't it? You saw Henry's new scarf, didn't you?" Amadeus sighed and nodded, his head buried in his hands. "I heard everything that Mommy said. Do you want to know?" Amadeus shook his head. He honestly didn't want to, but his daughter went on anyways.

"So Mom was knitting a scarf, and then Henry asked who it was for, and she said it was for a married man. I'm sure you know what that means, Daddy." Amadeus' head remained in his hands.

"Yes..it was for Chrom." Severa nodded.

"So remember when I asked you? How can you be so sure that Mom's not secretly harboring her feelings for Chrom, no matter how small? Didn't you say that you couldn't be with her unless, you know, she was completely over him?" Amadeus nodded, but he was at a loss for words. They heard the tent flap open, and their heads snapped towards the entrance.

"Father? Are you okay? You look so pale!" Morgan had come in.

"Oh, it's nothing. Daddy's just in shock..because he just found out that maybe Mommy doesn't love him as much as she said she does."

"Severa! Don't talk about your mother like that." But Amadeus couldn't shake the feeling that Severa was right.

"Father..I'm not sure what happened, but I'm sure there's a reason for whatever Mother did to make you doubt. I don't think you should jump to any conclusions..maybe you could go talk to her before we march? You used to always tell me in the future to make sure you knew as much as you could about a situation before you made a decision." Amadeus smiled at his daughter. She really did take to heart all the lessons his future self had taught her.

"Alright, Morgan. I'll do that." And he left the tent to find his girlfriend.

He found her where he expected to; getting in some last minute training.

"Cordelia? Can I talk to you for a bit?" She paused from her training.

"Oh! Hey, Amy. You look pale; is everything alright?" She hurried over and put her arms around his neck. He gently pushed her away, and a pout started forming on her face. "Amy, why'd you push me away? What's wrong?" He took a deep breath.

"I...saw Henry's scarf." He hoped that she'd get the hint, but she didn't; she looked as confused as she had from the start.

"Er..and? I can't give other people things?" He shook his head.

"No, not that...Henry said that you said you were knitting it for a.." He paused. "A married man? And there's only one in this camp, since everyone else is just engaged…" He trailed off and waited for Cordelia to catch on.

"I don't...oh." She sighed deeply. "Amy, it's not what you-" He interrupted her.

"Cordelia." He paused, willing himself to stay calm and slow down his racing heart. "Remember when we confessed our feelings to each other? I told you that...I needed to know for sure that you were over Chrom, and that I was the only one in your heart. I told you that if..if we started this, and then halfway through, you found out you weren't over Chrom...it would literally kill me…" He dropped to the floor and covered his eyes as they brimmed with tears.

"Amy-" He stopped her.

"If you don't feel that way for me anymore, don't use that name." He hadn't meant to say it so harshly, but he couldn't help himself. It seemed as if everything was being torn down before his very eyes. He stormed out of the tent before Cordelia could reply, and quickly made his way to a corner of the woods where he could be alone.

He'd never felt this kind of pain before. It was almost like there was something slowly tearing him up from the inside. He cursed himself; what did he expect? Falling in love with someone meant letting them into your body, in a way that no one else was in you. And he hadn't even wanted to! It was just a stupid conversation between them, and then he'd opened himself up to her. He'd made himself vulnerable.

_You should have just ignored the initial feelings. Loving someone...you're not ready for that kind of commitment. Especially not with her. _

_But..everything was going so well. _

He decided he needed some company. He whistled, and after a few minutes, Aster lighted next to him. He put an arm around her neck and sobbed into her purple scales. The wyvern seemed confused, but concerned as well. She lay along the floor and put a wing around her sobbing rider, hiding him from the cruel world around him.

"Aster...why? Why can't I be the only one in her heart?" He ranted on and on, and the wyvern couldn't do anything more than keep the wing wrapped around her rider.

"Amy?" He knew who it was, but he couldn't bring himself to turn and face her. Aster roared at her; apparently, she had some idea of what was going on, and was being protective of Amadeus. "Aster, please. I just need to talk to Amadeus. There's been a..huge misunderstanding, and he's sad about something that shouldn't make him sad." Still, the great wyvern wouldn't budge. She snorted, and smoke flared threateningly from her nostrils, but Cordelia wouldn't back down.

"Aster. Just let me talk to him. If I can't get him to stop crying, you can fry me alive. Alright?" The wyvern seemed satisfied with this response, and lifted her wing to reveal a tearful Amadeus. She didn't back down, however, and it seemed that she'd taken Cordelia's words literally.

"Amy. Please, can you listen?" The tactician's back faced her. "I know you can hear me, and I can understand why you doubt..but I've told you time and time again, you're the only one in my heart. I told Henry the scarf was for a married man...and it was, technically. But it wasn't for Chrom. I was making it for-" She paused, as tears started forming in her eyes.

"Amadeus, I was making it for _you. _I was planning on making it for you and giving it to you some other time, when it was a better time...but when Henry asked for it, I thought it would be fine to give it to him. I could always make you another one, and the second one would probably be better after the practice from that one. I referred to you as a married man because…Well, because I can't bear to think of you with anyone but me. In my eyes, I can't see anything ever breaking us apart; in my eyes, we're going to work out fine, and I think of you as my husband already. I can understand why you'd think the way you did...but I hope that you understand what I'm telling you. I love you so much, Amy; I'd never do anything to break your heart..and I'm so sorry for making you doubt me again. Please, listen to what I'm saying…" She trailed off. Amadeus finally turned and spoke.

"Cordelia...I'm sorry, as well. I jumped to conclusions that I shouldn't have...I let my nagging doubts get the better of me, even though there have been so many more instances where you've proven that I'm the only one in your heart, and I don't appreciate those enough…" He paused, and pulled her towards him. "I'm just too crazy about you, Cordelia, and I'm so scared of losing you...I can't imagine life without you anymore. You've made my life so much better…" The two remained there, crying into each other and holding each other tight.

Above them, a purple wyvern rolled her eyes and covered them with her wing, giving them some privacy.

* * *

They walked back into camp, hand in hand, and quickly packed up their tent. Morgan was ecstatic at seeing her parents happy and together again, while Severa raised an eye at her father. As they began the final march back home, Amadeus smiled at Cordelia.

"Oh! When we get home, you can meet my parents, Amy!" Cordelia's eyes lit up at this. Amadeus nodded, but his mind was churning.

_Hopefully...meeting her parents will be the next step. If everything works out, then we can move to the next step of this relationship…_

* * *

**Next chapter is up! These chapters are actually getting easier and easier to write, and more and more fun. I like focusing on the dynamics of their interactions, and hopefully here I've developed not only Amadeus and Cordelia's family dynamic, but also how they interact with other families. In a sense, it's pretty much just like any interaction between two close families, so I tried to base it off of what I've seen of family gatherings. **

**I tried a little discussion about love in there, when Amadeus is in doubt. It's kind of based on Neil Gaiman's quote about love; if you haven't read that before, you can find it on google pretty easily. He pretty much says that love is stupid; while I don't agree with that part, I do agree that love sets you up to be hurt in ways that you've never felt before, and that it can hurt much, much more than any other kind of pain one can feel. Luckily for Amadeus, Cordelia quickly comforts him. **

**Another thing: I used Amadeus' reaction as an example of how lots of us react rashly when we're dealing with strong emotions (especially love). I'm sure we can all think of a time when we were angry at our significant other for something that's, in hindsight, stupid or insignificant, or where we just didn't factor in everything and we weren't thinking clearly. Now, for Amadeus, it's totally reasonable for him to think that way; Cordelia's reasoning was pretty hard to figure out, but hopefully it made sense to all you readers.**

**Side note: If you don't really get Cordelia's reasoning, it's mainly that she's so confident that they're going to work out that she already views herself and Amadeus as a married couple. **

**Astrofur: Wow. I'm really not sure how to react to you saying that this is your favorite Avatar/Cordelia story...I'm really just blown away and flattered by that. Hopefully, I'll be able to continue living up to your expectations of me. Also, hope you liked how I integrated your idea into this story! **

**Jozern: Glad you enjoyed the last chapter :) hope you enjoy this one just as much! If you ever have any ideas, feel free to let me know in the comments. I'll try to do what I can to integrate it if I think it works with where I want the story to go; just ask Astrofur, his idea got in this chapter! **

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter! Next chapter, the Shepherds finally return home, there's another big celebration, and Amadeus will finally meet Cordelia's parents...Also, look for Inigo to get a shock from his girlfriend's parents. :)**


	13. Chapter 12

The familiar walls of Ylisstol stood on the horizon. The sun illuminated the sky as the Shepherds made their way towards them, and the familiar homes that waited behind the gates. Amadeus could feel the excitement in the air as they neared home.

They'd quickly made the march from Regna Ferox back home to Ylisstol. Flavia and Basilio had elected to stay and help with the rebuilding of Port Ferox, which was still underway after the Valmese attack. Lon'qu and Olivia had also decided to stay and contribute, as both felt they owed it to Basilio. However, they did promise to visit Ylisstol when the rebuilding was complete.

When they reached the gates, a small contingent convened atop the gates to appraise them.

"Lord Chrom!" They instantly recognized him, and the gates began to slowly creak open. The Shepherds and the Ylissean army streamed in behind Chrom.

When Chrom and Sumia entered the city, hand in hand, there was a great cheer. Evidently, despite the losses that the citizens were mourning, they still supported their king and queen. The rest of the army and the Shepherds streamed in behind them, dashing into the crowd to find loved ones and relatives. Amadeus had thought he would be able to simply blend within all the mingling, but Cordelia gathered her share of recognition, and that led to his being noticed and cheered as well. He could see Cordelia scanning the crowd for her parents, but before she could find them, Chrom cleared his throat to begin his speech.

"Ylisseans! We have returned from Valm, successful; therefore, let today be a day of celebration. But while we celebrate our victory, do not forget that it was not without cost. When you drink a toast, remember those who gave their lives so that we could continue enjoying peace. There will be food and drink aplenty in the castle's main halls. That is all."

The crowd began dispersing as families were reunited. Chrom and Amadeus had agreed that the children from the future would disperse within the Ylissean army, so as not to draw attention and any unwanted questions. They would be staying in the Shepherd's garrison for the night, before being introduced as long-lost relatives or cousins and the like.

Amadues gave both his daughters kisses on their foreheads before waving them off before looking for Cordelia. He found her talking to an older couple whom he presumed to be her parents.

"Oh! Amy, come here!" She beckoned him over. He took a deep breath, straightened out his robe, and made his way over.

_And of course, I'm wearing my grubby robe. _

"Amy, this is my aunt and uncle. Aunt Serena, Uncle Ash, this is my boyfriend, Amy! Or, Amadeus, but that's too complicated so I call him Amy." She gestured towards him, and he bowed.

"Pleasure to meet you, Amadeus," Ash said. He was inwardly delighted that they called him by his actual name. It seemed it'd been an eternity since _anyone _had…

Cordelia's aunt nodded. "We've heard quite a few stories about you. Cordelia's letters go on and on about you." He could feel himself blushing.

"Oh, I'm sure she's just exaggerating. I'm just the tactician." He tried to suppress the smile that came from knowing that Cordelia wrote about him in her letters, but he could feel the pink spreading across his face.

"Anyways, Mom and Dad are going to be back soon; they like to get their daily exercise. We can go meet them?" She looked at him with eyes full of excitement, but he shook his head.

"I'll meet them tomorrow. I have to help Chrom with a lot of paperwork and political stuff first, you know, as his advisor." She sighed and nodded.

"Well, when you're done with all your work, at least come find me in the castle? I'll be at the party, we can at least get some food before we head to sleep. How does that sound?" Amadeus nodded, kissed her goodbye, bowed to her aunt and uncle, and strode off into the castle.

* * *

The joyous voices below him rang out and echoed into his room. Amadeus was going through the paperwork that he'd mentioned. A lot of it was political jargon which he would skim before signing, but he'd reached the part that he dreaded the most.

The final stack of papers was all he had left. He closed his eyes as he reached for the first of the papers, knowing what awaited him.

_Ableu, Cormac. Killed by a lance through the heart. Immediate family: Wife, two sons. _

_Abler, Cecil. Arrow to the head. Wife, son and daughter. _

_Accen, Mari. Fire tome damage. Husband, daughter. _

The list went on, and Amadeus could feel his eyes stinging with each signature he wrote down. These were notices to the families of the deceased, and he'd felt that he was responsible for signing these. He was, after all, the tactician and commander of the army. They had followed his orders to their death, and he couldn't help the feeling of responsibility, and guilt over the fact that he had, in a way, sent them to their deaths. He continued signing, his tears dotting the parchment that bore the names of the deceased.

He was startled out of his thoughts by a knock on the door.

"Come in," he said wearily. A pale hand pushed open the door, and he looked up to see who it was.

"Tharja."

_Great. I really don't need to deal with this right now…_

She'd actually, quite surprisingly, left him alone for quite the time. He hadn't had to deal with her at all in the time since he'd begun dating Cordelia.

"Er..how can I help you?" He was a bit apprehensive about where this was headed.

"Oh, nothing. I was just checking on you...my love." She smiled seductively at him and stepped through the doorway.

"Um..your love? No, Tharja. My feelings are for someone else." He said it clearly, baldly; he needed her to understand.

"Hm..odd…" She looked at him. "Do you still feel that way?" He gave her a quizzical look.

"Um..what? Tharja, are you okay?" She shook her head, distressed.

"Why isn't it.._working? _I've perfected it for weeks…"

_Oh. So that's why she's left me alone. _

"I've accounted for the number of times you turn in your sleep, the separation between your eyelids, your meal preferences...everything! It worked on everyone else in camp...but why not you?" She seemed to be half talking to him and half talking to herself.

"Tharja. Listen. I love someone else. I've already told them that I love-"

"You mean that _siren _that keeps you away from me?" Her eyes flared, and she advanced on Amadeus, who backed his chair away. "That _temptress_ who gives you a pet name and-"

"I'm sorry, who exactly are we talking about?" Cordelia had suddenly appeared in the doorway, much to Amadeus' relief.

"_You!" _Tharja changed direction and began advancing towards Cordelia, who didn't back down.

"Yes, _me. _Amadeus is _my _boyfriend. He chose me, not you, Tharja. Now back away." Her voice was practically dripping venom.

"Ha! I could easily curse away your feelings for him, you enchantress! You've seduced him away from me...and I will make you pay!" She took out her tome, as Cordelia balled her fists and got into a ready stance.

"Ha! I'd like to see you try." Cordelia replied tauntingly.

"Flux!" A jet of purple shot towards Cordelia, who ducked into a forward roll and sprang up at Tharja. She landed on the woman and dragged her down with her weight, and the two rolled around on the floor, trading slaps and punches. Amadeus watched in horror, pleading with the two women to stop, but they fought on and on. Tharja managed to get away from Cordelia long enough to grab her tome, and she was about to fire another dark curse at Cordelia before Amadeus decided to intervene more directly.

"ENOUGH!" Amadues stood up and roared, and the two women snapped back to look at him. "Tharja, what were you expecting by coming here? Were you expecting me to leave Cordelia for you right now, and then we'd kiss and be happy, and I'd abandon the love of my life? And leave my children to ask why I'm running away with another woman? Did you think that everything would go according to your plan, and we'd end up sitting on a beach sipping cocktails and having the waves lap against our feet?"

Tharja backed away from him, evidently shocked at his outburst.

"What do you even see in me, Tharja? Why have you been stalking me since we met in the Plegian dessert? Do you think I'm some sort of angel from above? Some sort of amazing person? I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm _most definitely not _what you think I am. You have some image of me, and it's not who I am. I _kill_, Tharja. I send people to their deaths. You see that stack? I sent _all of them _marching to their deaths. _Now _what do you think of me? Do you still think I'm an amazing person? Do you still want to know everything about anything about me? Do you really? Is this really what you want to get involved with?"

She opened her mouth, but didn't say anything before turning and running out the doorway. Amadeus sighed and sat back down on his chair and put his head down. He hadn't meant to explode on Tharja like that, but the combination of his own physical fatigue, combined with the emotional stress from his paperwork, had caused him to lose control. He knew he'd gone over the line when he saw Cordelia holding a hand over her mouth, probably also in shock at his outburst.

"Amy…thanks. She fights tough." She took a seat on his bed. A crimson stream trickled down her cheek from a deep gash that seemed to be from Tharja's nails.

"I can't leave you alone for a day without you being hit on by other women?" Amadeus laughed mirthlessly.

"Cordelia, this is Tharja we're talking about. She's stalked me since I don't even remember how long, and I thought she stopped because she had the decency to respect our relationship, but apparently she was just perfecting a love curse to steal me away from you." Cordelia's eyes flashed in anger.

"Ha! I'd like to see her try. If I had my lance...I give her ten minutes to live." At this, Amadeus let out a real chuckle.

"That's quite generous. I wouldn't give her five."

Cordelia giggled at this and motioned for Amadeus to join her on the bed.

"Come. Let's get some sleep, you look tired. You can finish your paperwork tomorrow morning, when you're rested."

"No. I need to finish this now..I owe it to them, at the very least, to have their families notified as soon as possible. Families that…." He caught himself, and began again. "Families that...I've caused to become broken." He put his head back down and felt the tears springing once again.

"Amy..it's not your fault. It was a war. Sometimes, we can't achieve peace without some sacrifice..you of all people should know that."

"But they have _families_! They have wives, husbands, sons, daughters! Each life is so precious...I can't live with myself with the knowledge that I've splintered so many homes...how many children won't ever see one of their parents again? All because of me?" He was sobbing now, unable to control his emotions.

"They'll know that their parents were fighting to preserve peace for them, Amadeus. And now that we've emerged victorious, we know, and they know, that their deaths weren't in vain. It is little comfort, but it is all we can provide them." She patted him comfortingly on his shoulder.

He knew she was right, and there was no point arguing with her. It was just like with Emmeryn again, when Chrom forgave him.

_Chrom forgave me, back then. I'm sure these families won't hold grudges towards me...but who's to stop me from holding a grudge against myself? _

"Thanks, Cordelia. But I do have to finish these tonight...I want to make sure they know by tomorrow." She nodded, and climbed into the bed.

"I'll be right here, Amy."

He soon finished, and his dreams were filled with the faces of those who would never return.

* * *

Amadeus woke early the next day and collected the papers from his desk before bringing them to Chrom. He knocked on Chrom's door, and the Lord walked out and nodded silently.

They began the grim task of handing out the notices to the families of the deceased. They allowed each family the time they needed to react to the deaths, and made sure to stay as long as they were needed. None of the families blamed Amadeus; on the contrary, they spoke of how the deceased had mentioned that it was a great honor to fight under such a great mind, and to fight for something as admirable as peace. Despite these, Amadeus was still overcome with guilt each time he knocked on a door and was forced to be the bearer of grim news.

When they finally finished, the two trudged slowly back towards the castle. Before they went their separate ways, Chrom tapped his tactician and advisor.

"Amadeus. I just want to thank you for all the effort you've put into this war. I can say for certain that we wouldn't have gotten anywhere near Walhart if it weren't for your brilliant mind...so thank you. Should you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Chrom winked at him.

"Huh? Am I missing something?" Amadeus looked around, confused.

"Well, I do know you're meeting Cordelia's parents tonight...which means that if things go well, I'd assume you're going to pop the question. I also happen to know that rings aren't the cheapest.." Chrom sighed as his tactician still feigned ignorance. "Here. For the ring. Pop the question; according to Sumia, she's getting impatient. I'm not sure how true that is; Sumia could just want to feel like playing matchmaker, but I wouldn't risk it." A red felt pouch flew through the air, and Amadeus caught it. It was surprisingly heavy.

"Chrom, there's a fortune in here. I don't need that much.." The lord shook his head.

"Oh, you'll need that much. Get her a nice ring, alright?" Amadeus nodded.

"Thank you, Chrom."

* * *

He returned to his room just as Cordelia was waking up. He kissed her as she groggily sat up.

"Morning, beautiful." She smiled sleepily in response, eyes still closed.

"Morning, dear. Sleep well?" He nodded, put the gold onto the table, and climbed into the bed with her. "So, what's the plan for today?" She faked as if in deep thought, before replying.

"Well, we're meeting my parents, aren't we? We could go meet them now, if you want to! They seem eager to see you." He scratched at his chin.

"Hm. How about for dinner? I actually wanted to spend some time with Aster today before anything, maybe fly around for a while. I haven't spent as much time as I'd like to with her." Cordelia nodded.

"Alright, then. Come find me when you're ready to go, then?" He nodded and climbed back out. He grabbed the pouch and then kissed his girlfriend goodbye before heading out the door.

* * *

The great purple wyvern floated through the air. Amadeus technically hadn't lied to Cordelia; he _was _spending time with Aster, but for a different purpose.

Although Ylisstol was a large town, there weren't many jewelry shops in town. There was a blacksmith, but no goldsmiths or artisans in the town. Amadeus had asked Chrom, who had told him about Southtown, a small city just South of Ylisstol, where many jewelcrafters resided, so he made his way there.

He landed and quickly set up an area for Aster to stay, then made his way towards the city. He was afraid of much fanfare walking in, but his fears were quickly assured as no one really noticed as he walked through the gates.

_So...I need to find a place that sells rings. _He quickly moved towards the center of town, and found a row of shops. He took a deep breath before pushing the door open.

* * *

"Amy! You are _not _wearing that grubby old coat." He opened his mouth to protest, but his girlfriend shushed him. "Can you at least put on a different, cleaner robe?" Her tone made it less of a suggestion and more of an order, and he reluctantly fished out a similar robe from his wardrobe. He'd left pretty much all of his clothes at home while on the march, and he'd forgotten that he had any of the clothes he was now flipping through. He let out a sigh as he changed. "I heard that! Don't sigh at me! This is for your own good!" He smiled as she yelled at him from across the room.

He quickly changed and got ready. His heart was beating at about twice its normal rate, and he had to keep taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He paced back and forth outside the room, trying to relax while he waited for Cordelia to finish getting dressed. She finally came out in a plain black dress. He noticed that she did nothing to disguise her bust; actually, he'd noticed that ever since they'd had that particular discussion, she'd been much less hesitant to remove her breastplate.

"Shall we, milady?" He adopted a fake, noble tone, and she laughed as he offered her his arm.

"Of course, sir. By the way, didn't I tell you _not _to wear your grubby cloak?"

"It's a different one! I swear, it just looks similar." She shook her head at him, but relented.

The two made their way out of the castle, and towards Cordelia's home. "Amy, you need to calm down! I can hear your heart pounding from here." She put a hand on his chest, and her soft touch instantly soothed his racing heartbeat.

"We're here. You ready?" He nodded, and she knocked on the door.

An old, gray-haired man answered the door. He was quite tall, and towered over both of them. His physique screamed of a former warrior; even below the loose black robe he wore, Amadeus could almost feel the muscles straining against the fabric.

"Cordelia? My daughter, you've finally returned!" Cordelia disengaged herself from Amadeus and threw herself at the old man.

"Dad! Oh, I've missed you!" Amadeus stood back, a little unsure of what to do. The two finally broke off the hug, and Cordelia returned to his side. "Dad, this is my boyfriend, Amadeus. Amadeus, this is my father." Amadeus held out his hand to the old man, who reached out a wizened hand of his own and shook his with surprising strength.

"A pleasure to meet you, Amadeus. You may call me David."

"The pleasure is mine, sir." He lowered his head in a bow, and David pushed him through the door.

"Come, come. Dinner is ready!" The home was a small, cozy place. The living room had a brick fireplace that seemed to have been used recently, and above the fireplace was a portrait of the family. Amadeus smiled at seeing it; he'd never thought of what Cordelia might have looked like in her younger years. The walls were adorned with multiple paintings and windows. Soft moonlight streamed in, and the rest of the light in the room was provided by candles evenly spaced out on holders mounted along the walls. They walked through another doorway into a more brightly lit room, which Amadeus assumed to be the dining room from the pleasant aromas that wafted through the air.

"Amadeus, take a seat, please! My wife will be out soon with the soup, and then we can eat." David pointed towards a chair. Amadeus nodded, and quickly remembered to pull out Cordelia's chair and make sure she sat before he did.

_Good catch_, she mouthed. He winked at her before taking his own seat. They heard ginger footsteps approaching, and turned their heads.

An old woman with graying hair had emerged from the kitchen, carrying a large pot in her arms. She was decidedly thinner than her muscular husband. Although her hair was mostly gray, Amadeus could see wisps of the brilliant red that decorated his girlfriend's hair. She exuded a sense of elegance, and it was not hard for Amadeus to see where Cordelia's beauty came from.

"Mom!" Cordelia sprang up to hug her mother, but quickly remembered that she was carrying a pot of hot soup. Her mother gently lay the pot on the table before embracing her daughter.

"Cordelia! We've missed you so...what happened to your cheek?" She pointed at the scarred gash that Tharja's nails had left, and Amadeus had to stifle the laughter that almost burst out.

"Er..oh, that. Just an unfriendly reminder to keep up with training." Cordelia flushed slightly, and Amadeus was sure that she was remembering where that scar actually came from. "But, Mom, this is my boyfriend, Amadeus!" She put one hand on his shoulder and tousled through his hair with the other. Amadeus stood up to offer his hand again, and she took it warmly.

"Amadeus. A pleasure. We've heard quite a few stories about you! I must say, her description of you barely does you justice." He blushed at the compliment.

"A pleasure to meet you as well, milady." She smiled gently before taking her seat next to her husband.

"Please, call me Alicia. The meat is freshly hunted, and the vegetables have just been picked. The soup is just cooked, as well. Please help yourself." There was a brief silence as the four helped themselves to the food on the table.

"So, Cordelia. How was the travel? Your letters seemed so focused on raving about Amadeus here that we didn't really get much of a sense of what was actually going on, other than that you were into this man here." Cordelia put down her utensils and blushed furiously.

"Oh..well, we went overseas to Valm, and I'm sure you know the rest. We were actually going to hold out for the winter, and then mount an assault afterwards…"

They spent the rest of the dinner recounting the war to Cordelia's parents. Watching the conversation, Amadeus realized that it wasn't hard to see where Cordelia's amazing abilities came from. Her father had been quite the warrior in his younger years; his build and physique attested to that. Her mother was as sharp as a tack, and didn't miss anything; he was sure that Cordelia was a combination of the best parts of her parents.

_And she's mine. _He couldn't shake that thought, nor could he suppress the brief smile that came whenever he thought that.

"So, Amadeus, tell us a bit more about yourself. What about your family?" Amadeus blanched; this was the question that he'd been dreading.

"Oh..um. Well, about that…" He paused. "I'll be honest with you, I don't know anything about my family. I woke up in a field just before the Plegian War with no memory of who I was or anything about my past. My memories start from that time." Cordelia patted him comfortingly on his shoulder. Her mother gasped, and her father opened his mouth to speak.

"Family doesn't necessarily have to mean through blood, Amadeus. Family can just be the ones you care about most in life. I'm sure you know that."

Amadeus took a moment to think about this before replying.

"You're right, sir. Well, since I've been here, most of my time has been spent with the Shepherds. I see them as my family; they're the ones who took me in when they could have doubted me; they trust me with their lives when I command them in battle, and in return, I would do anything that is in my power to do for them. And, of course, one Shepherd in particular…" He glanced over at Cordelia, who reached over to grip his hand. Across the table, her father seemed to be in thought, before pausing and speaking.

"Well said, young man. Now, if you don't mind, may you accompany me to the stables? I have some loads to lift, and I could certainly use your help." Amadeus realized that this was probably an excuse to talk to him alone, and almost jumped out of his chair.

"Yes, of course, sir. Lead the way." He followed the old man out of the kitchen and back through the front door. They circled around the house where, sure enough, there was a small barn. Cordelia's father stopped outside the door and motioned for Amadeus to come closer.

"Amadeus." Amadeus could feel his heart beating faster and faster as the old man addressed him. The tension as almost palpable. Then the old man broke into a warm smile. "I cannot tell you how happy you've made my daughter. You know about her being all stuck up on the Exalt for a while, even after he was married to that other girl. But you've given her life meaning again; I don't know if she's said that to you, but it's clear in her letters. You've made her happy again, and that has, in turn, made both me and her mother happy." Amadeus was momentarily lost for words, before his mouth could finally catch up to his brain.

"Um..thank you, sir. She's made me happy beyond belief, as well. You've raised an amazing daughter, and I can only hope to be worthy of her." The old man shook his head at Amadeus' words.

"She was right about you in her letters. You really are humble to a fault. Do you realize what I'm saying? You are the one who can make my daughter truly happy. And having her smiling...would bring smiles onto the faces of a certain old man and old woman." Amadeus gasped as he finally gathered what he was saying.

"Then…"

"Yes. If you would take her hand in marriage..I cannot think of a better person for my daughter. But if you disappoint her…" A knuckle popped, and Amadeus laughed halfheartedly.

"Haha...ha? Don't worry, sir. I promise you I will keep her happy for the rest of her days." The old man nodded and turned towards the barn door to push it open.

"Good. Now come! There's lot's of stuff to move, so we'd better get started!"

Amadeus allowed himself a light chuckle before following the man into the stables.

* * *

After helping move a few bales of hay, the two had headed back to Cordelia's home, where Amadeus and Cordelia bid her parents goodnight and headed back to their room in the castle.

Cordelia's hand snuck her way into his, and their fingers intertwined.

"Well, Amy, I think that went well." She leaned in for a quick kiss.

"Yes. You have rather charming parents, dear." She smiled.

"Mother quite liked you. She said something about you looking 'noble and handsome' despite your 'grubby old cloak'." Amadeus looked back at her indignantly.

"But this isn't even my grubby old cloak! And you said it was okay for me to wear this!" Cordelia put a finger to his lips.

"Shhh. That doesn't mean she doesn't like you, silly!" He relaxed at this. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He pulled her off the path and back around the castle.

At this time of the night, most of the rooms were dark. Only the gentle silver light of the moon illuminated the world, and Amadeus wanted to spend some time alone with Cordelia.

He brought her to a grassy field behind the castle. It was where he'd kept Aster when she had been but a hatchling, as it as a large, open space where a dragon could breathe fire without fear of burning down a tree or a building. Without much foliage to block the moonlight, it was also one of the brighter places at night.

"Wow. Amy, it's beautiful. The moon, everything about this place. We should come here more often." She smiled at him gratifyingly, and moved closer.

He put an arm around her and pulled her closer.

"It is pretty, isn't it? And I don't think I've ever seen the moon so bright…" He looked up, and her eyes followed his gaze. Indeed, the moon seemed fuller and brighter than they had ever seen it.

"While we were fighting Valm, I recall Say'ri telling me about an old Chon'sin legend. Apparently, there was a young couple who were very much in love. But their parents didn't approve of their relationship...so they were forced to see each other in secret. When the parents inevitably found out, they were of course angry. The girl was banished to the moon, and the man was forced to stay on the earth. They could only see each other once a year; the day of each year when the moon was the biggest and brightest in the sky. On that day each year, the man would offer cakes, treats, anything he could as an offering for his wife to come back, but her parents would never allow it, and the two were forced to live separate from each other for the rest of their lives. And so, Chon'sin began celebrating this day as the Lunar Festival. Say'ri circled a date on my map, telling me when it would be, and it's tonight. That's why the moon is so bright, Cordelia." She nodded and leaned further into his chest.

"That's such a sad story…" He nodded.

"But it's just that: a story. Before I met you, I had terrible dreams. I had dreams where I failed, dreams where I brought about the death of every Shepherd, dreams where my plans went wrong and Chrom or someone else close to me was killed. But then you taught me that my dreams were just that: they were just dreams. They were just inventions of my mind, just like that story is an invention of the mind that we don't need to put stock into. You taught me that what I did in my waking life was what mattered, and not what happened in my dreams." He took a deep breath.

"This has happened in my dreams so many times, but I know that it won't mean anything until I actually do it in my real life." He twisted himself away from her so that he was on one knee, and she gasped when she saw what he'd pulled out of his pocket.

In his hand was the ring he'd bought that day. He'd spent almost the entire day picking one out. It had a simple gold band, but it was the gem that made it special. It was a small, pale, pink diamond. It reflected the moonlight and refracted the beams, separating them into a beautiful rainbow. The gem sat in the center of a golden cradle on the crest of the ring, exuding a sense of subtle elegance.

"Cordelia...I love you more than anything in the world. Will you...marry me?" She held her hands to her mouth as tears began streaming down her face.

"Amadeus…"

_She's hesitating and crying. Oh gods, what did I do wrong…_

He fought to keep his emotions from showing.

"Cordelia, if you want to wait, I can under-"

"N-no, it's not that! I just...want to remember this moment forever." She closed her eyes, committing the moment to memory, and Amadeus did as well.

_This is one memory that I'll never lose._

She leaned down towards his outstretched hand and the ring in it, and slipped her finger through it. She pushed a bit of his hair away from his ear, and whispered a single word into it.

That single word made Amadeus the happiest man alive.

"Yes."

* * *

**Whew! Sorry if the proposal was a bit cheesy; stuff like that really isn't my forte. The story was based lightly off of one of the Chinese stories behind the real Lunar Festival, which was actually last week.**

**There's also actually a hint of what the significance of the title of this story is. Hopefully some of you will catch it. **

**So Amadeus goes to dinner with Cordelia's parents, and it goes well. I thought it'd be a fun, more modern twist; kind of like meeting the family before anything, and getting their approval. Obviously, Amadeus has Cordelia's parents' approval, as reflected by their pretty much instant acceptance of him. **

**The thing with Tharja was at the suggestion of a reviewer. I did find it strange that she hadn't approached Amadeus about his lover, so I had to fabricate a reason. I also think that him exploding at her was a way of making her back off more permanently; in a way, she's shocked at what he said, as I'm sure Amadeus is as well. However, don't rule out a Tharja comeback. Knowing her, she probably has quite a few tricks up her sleeve. **

**Astrofur: Yes, I do agree it might seem rushed. However, I wanted it to be that way because I wanted to make it clear that: **

**1. Amadeus was being silly and jumping to conclusions**

**2. Cordelia is extremely confident in her own 'getting-over-Chrom'; so hopefully the short argument conveys both those points. I don't think I'll be approaching Mount Prism just yet; I have a few more chapters planned, so we'll see. **

**Jozern: I agree that in any other situation, Amadeus would have been too logical to jump to such a conclusion, but, you know, love does crazy things to one's mind. Hope you enjoyed the little skirmish between Tharja and Cordelia, though! Cordelia's also a boss in this, because she takes down Tharja with her bare hands while Tharja has her tomes. **

**Enjoy! Next chapter, the Shepherds and possibly their children will either visit the hot springs or the beach. For those of you who have played/know of the Xenologues I'm referring to, you'll have an idea of what to expect!**


	14. Chapter 13

Amadeus woke to the now-familiar blob of red that greeted him in the mornings. He smiled as he leaned over and kissed Cordelia on the cheek.

"Morning," he whispered into her ear. She moaned lightly and turned to kiss him on the lips.

"Morning," she mumbled sleepily. She reached to grasp his hand with her left hand, and he smiled as he felt the cold metal band of the engagement ring against his flesh. He still couldn't quite comprehend the fact that he was engaged.

He gently slid out of bed, so as not to wake his companion, and moved to the washroom to finish his morning rituals. When he finished, Cordelia had just gotten out of bed.

"Amy! When do we start planning this wedding?" Her eyes shone with excitement, and he couldn't help smiling like a giddy child.

"Whenever you want to, dear."

She yelped in excitement before dashing to the washroom for her morning rituals. When she came out, she jumped into his arms, and he staggered backwards onto the bed.

"Amy..I still can't believe it." She adjusted herself to a more comfortable position on top of him, and looked at the ring on her hand. "I can't believe we're going to be married! Ah..I can't remember ever being this happy in my life." She leaned down for another kiss, and he obliged her.

"Mm..I can't believe it either, honey." She deepened the kiss, pushing her lips against his with more force, and then probing his mouth with her tongue. He pulled away, feigning shock.

"Cordelia! We should at least lock the door first, you know." She smiled naughtily and got off of him to close the door.

"There's no need to lock it...no one's going to come to your room this early anyways." She gave him that beguiling look, and he couldn't bring himself to disagree with her, although his better judgment told him to just lock the damn door.

Before he could protest, she got back on top of him, straddling him with her legs. She moved her face forwards towards her face, her vivid hair covering his head almost like a veil. Her lips pressed against his, and he pressed his back, putting his arms around her and pulling her closer. Their tongues danced together, weaving intricately together.

She reached for his nightgown, unbuckling the top so she could get at his neck. She kissed her way down his chin and to his neck, and he shivered in pleasure at the feeling.

_Bang. _

"Mommy! Daddy! Uncle Chrom said-OHMYGOD WHY DIDN'T YOU LOCK THE DOOR? MORGAN DON'T LOOK!"

Cordelia leapt off of Amadeus, who quickly pulled the forgotten blanket up to cover himself.

"Severa? Morgan? Oh dear." Amadeus looked up just in time to see his two daughters sprinting away from the room.

"Come find us when you're done doing...whatever you're doing!" Severa's voice drifted back as she ran off.

Cordelia was laughing fit to burst, but Amadeus looked mortified.

"I _told _you we should have locked the damn door!"

* * *

Apparently, Anna had given Chrom passes for the Shepherds to visit one of her sister's resorts for what was termed as "a soothing, calming, weekend of relaxation".

_Don't those all mean the exact same thing? _Amadeus had thought when he heard about it.

_Well, a vacation's a vacation. And the Shepherds do deserve it. Recently, it's just been battle after battle after battle…_

He returned with Cordelia to pack for the weekend. He hastily grabbed enough clothes for the weekend into his bag, while Cordelia did the same.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Amadeus yelled over.

"Are you sure? Are you and Mommy doing anything right now? Is it really okay for us to come in?"

"Yes, Severa, we're just finishing up packing. Are you and Morgan done yet?" The door opened, and in came the two girls, carrying their bags for the weekend.

"Yup! Uncle Chrom said to meet outside soon, so we came to make sure you were done!"

The family finished up packing and made their way outside to meet up with the rest of the Shepherds.

Chrom waved as he saw his tactician making his way to the gates.

"Amadeus! We were just about to leave without you."

"So where exactly is this 'soothing, calming weekend of relaxation' going to be?"

"It's not far, actually. We'll be there by nightfall. It's a hot spring town to the east; Anna will lead the way."

The march was quick and uneventful, and they reached their destination just as the sun was beginning to set.

The resort itself rested on a mountainside. The buildings were made of concrete, shaded a dark gray, and they were larger than most any buildings any of the Shepherds had seen, and screamed of grandeur and luxury. As they approached the building, a familiar figure came forward to greet them.

"Welcome! You must be Chrom. I have your reservation right here. Is your whole party here?"

Chrom nodded.

"Er..but, aren't you..Anna?" The figure did look exactly like her; she even had the same voice.

"Oh, no! Anna's my sister! There's actually quite a few of us. And yes, we do all look exactly the same!"

_Family reunions must be quite the event for them_, Amadeus thought with a smile.

"Anyways, welcome to the Bathrealm! We have soothing, refreshing springs for all of you to soak in." Amadeus nodded.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'm sure after all the fighting, we could all use some relaxing."

Just as he finished saying this, Severa came running towards them.

"DADDY! I just went to check out the hot springs...they're teeming with Risen!"

Amadeus sighed.

"So much for relaxing...let's go, then."

* * *

Amadeus wasn't expecting a tough battle; the springs were small, and from what Severa had said, the Risen seemed to be rendered even slower by the warm air inside the springs.

"Well...I don't think we really need much of a plan this time. Just go finish off any Risen nearby..and be careful with your footing. We don't want anyone slipping." The warriors quickly fanned out and began cutting down the Risen, and soon the air was filled with dissolving purple smoke.

"Shall we?" Amadeus turned to his family, and they gripped their weapons and advanced.

Battling Risen had almost become mechanical; they had a certain pattern to their attack, and they were slow-moving, dim-witted creatures; Amadeus, Cordelia, Severa, and Morgan cut them down effortlessly, and without thought.

"Mmm..this air is incredible. It's supposed to be good for the complexion too…" Severa's focus wavered to one of the pools, and she unconsciously made her way towards it.

"Severa, dear, what are you doing?" Cordelia took her eyes away from the battle for a moment to check on her daughter.

"O-oh! Mom! Perfect timing; these springs are supposed to do wonders for your skin!" She pointed at the pool by her feet.

"Oh yeah?" Amadeus had glanced over after dispatching a couple Risen who had strayed too close.

"Yup! One soak, and your skin will be smooth as a baby's butt. Mom, you should give it a try! Dad sometimes complained about your rough skin in the future, so this should help!"

"W-what? Why would I ever say such a thing?" Amadeus said indignantly.

_Wait..why am I apologizing for my future self?_

"Er..Severa, we'll all soak later! Right now isn't really the time, though; we _are _in the middle of a battle." A loud groan reminded them of the battle that Cordelia reminded them of, and they quickly turned their attention back to a small crowd of Risen that had progressed towards them.

"But a few minutes won't hurt anyone, right, Father?" Morgan tugged shyly at her father's cloak, and he finally relented.

"Fine, I think we can spare a minute. We'll keep watch over you two."

"Yay!"

"Woohoo!" The two girls dropped their weapons and leaned over to put their hands into the spring waters.

"O-oh...my aching knuckles..oh...I feel alive again!" Severa couldn't resist exaggerating a bit.

"Severa, you sound like an old man."

"So? It's only you, Mom, and Morgan around. Besides, I see no reason to act all cute around you unless we're shopping, Father."

Amadeus' eyebrow raised.

"And what's _that _supposed to-"

"AHHHHH!" Morgan's scream caused both Amadeus and Cordelia to jump and turn around, almost losing their balance on the slick floor.

"Morgan? Is everything okay?" Cordelia rushed over to her other daughter.

"Oh..no..but my hand! It's so..smooth! I never knew it was possible.." Cordelia sighed at her daughter.

"Er..yes. Very impressive, honey...but you almost gave me and your father a heart attack." She quickly looked at Amadeus for help.

"Um...will you look at the time! Your minute is up; come on, lets finish off these Risen so we can actually enjoy these springs."

"Aww! But Dad!" The two girls whined in unison, but obediently withdrew their hands from the spring and picked up their weapons.

The Risen seemed to finally be thinning out a bit. Another wave was incoming, but it was smaller than the initial waves, and the Shepherds had nary a scratch on any of them.

Shepherds' blades whistled through the air, and Risen evaporated.

"Phew...I think that's the last of them." Severa sighed. "Now we can get to the springs!"

"Yes..pfft!" Morgan had suddenly burst out laughing, and Severa turned to face her sister.

"What _are _you laughing about?"

"Hehehehe." The girl snorted, before continuing. "Oh..I just remembered a story Father told me. Or us, I mean; I'm sure you were there as well." She continued laughing, grabbing her sides as her family watched in amusement.

"And what was this story that has you rolling on the floor laughing out loud?" Severa had her hands on her hips as she interrogated her sister.

"Okay, so, there was this girl who really liked a boy, but she was too shy to tell him…" Morgan had to pause as another fit of laughter hit her.

"And?" Severa's glare didn't waver.

"And so she started teasing him mercilessly instead! So in the end, he wouldn't even talk to her because he got so fed up with her! Ha ha ha!" Morgan was actually rolling around the floor now.

"Er..I don't see how that's funny, Morgan." Amadeus had to agree with his older daughter.

"Oh, I guess it was _how _Father said it?" Severa sighed and shook her head.

"I still don't get why you find it funny...although I guess that's what makes you so agreeable." Morgan stopped laughing long enough to give her sister an odd look.

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"Oh..nothing." She sighed again. Cordelia made to interrupt, but Amadeus shushed her. He wanted to let his daughters interact without their distraction, and she understood the look on his face.

"Severa..are you _sure _there's nothing you want to talk about?" Morgan tapped her on the shoulder, all traces of laughter gone now. "What did you mean when you said that people find me agreeable?"

Severa let out another deep sigh.

_Goodness, she definitely got that from her mother. _

"Ugh, all right, fine. I'm just a bit..you know, worried. Worried that I've been..well, kind of like an old hag. I'm always saying things I don't really mean, or going on fault-finding crusades..especially with the people closest to me. I mean, I get to meet my parents again, and then I do this to them.." Apparently, she had forgotten that Amadeus and Cordelia were right there, but he found no reason to remind her.

"Oh. I get it now. But, Severa, for what it's worth, I don't think there's anything wrong with fault-finding. Just don't do it behind people's backs! Think of fault-finding as..er..more like giving advice?"

"Uh..I guess that's one way to put a positive spin on it, but-"

"What's wrong with encouraging your friends to be the best that they can be? You're just telling them things that they're doing wrong and that they could improve on! If they're upset, maybe they just need to learn to take some constructive criticism." Morgan smiled at her sister.

"But..there's a line between criticizing someone and being outright insulting..and I'm pretty sure I'm on the wrong side of that line." She wiped away a tear that began to trickle out of her eye.

Morgan hurried over to hug her sister.

"Aw, don't cry, Severa! We all love you!" Severa sniffed through her tears, but Amadeus could see a small smile forming on her face.

"You know, Morgan, you could at least try to make it believable." She sniffed again, and Morgan winked at her.

"Oh, come on. And even if I'm wrong about the others, you'll always have me. And Mother and Father." Severa wiped away her tears at this.

"Heh. Thanks for that, Morgan." The two sisters hugged each other briefly, before regrouping with their parents.

* * *

Amadeus and Cordelia had left the children in the lobby while they went to get their room keys. When they returned, they found both children sopping wet. Severa looked up as they approached.

"Oh! Mother, Father, do you guys have something we can use to dry off?" Amadeus glanced at Cordelia.

"Did you guys jump in the pool without changing first?" Amadeus sighed. Cordelia went off to grab a couple towels from the receptionist's desk.

"No, of course not! We were just walking around, scouting which pools to go to, and a Risen appeared and scared us so we both fell into the pool!" Amadeus' eyes narrowed.

"We didn't finish off the Risen?"

"No, not that, Father; I think it was a stray one." Morgan calmed down her father. Cordelia returned with the towels, and the two children quickly dried themselves off.

"Ugh. At least next time, we could at least fall into a spring that was good for skin. Of course, we fall into the one that's meant to help soothe aches...now I feel like an old woman. Don't you, Morgan?" Morgan nodded, and their parents laughed.

"Ha! That's ridiculous, both of you. You're still young and beautiful!" Cordelia patted their heads as she said this.

"Hehe! We are, aren't we? Totally..and completely…" Severa trailed off, and suddenly burst into tears. Amadeus quickly kneeled to check on his daughter.

"Severa! Is everything okay? Are you hurt?" He quickly scanned her body for any cuts and bruises.

"N-no...I'm just...I'm so _happy _right now!" She threw herself, wet robes and all, into her father's arms.

All Amadeus could say in reply was "Huh?"

"I don't know...it's just, I'd almost forgotten what it was like to laugh. In the future, there wasn't any reason to laugh or even smile..and here, even while we're fighting off Risen, we're laughing and smiling about it. We never talked about what we would do after a battle; there was no guarantee that you'd make it to the next battle…" Severa cried lightly into her father's shoulder.

"Severa…"

"But here, we're all talking about the fun plans that come after battles. We're thinking of which springs we're going to go to, the yukatas we can get, and which ones are prettier..I never would have imagined this in my wildest dreams in my own timeline. We actually have leisure time. And the best part is, I get to spend it with my Mom and Dad, and my sister. It just..made me so happy…" She started sobbing again, and Amadeus gave her a light squeeze.

"Severa..you've been through a lot, dear. I think you deserve the day off." Cordelia reached down to stroke her daughter's hair, while keeping an arm around her other daughter.

"I..yes, I agree. Morgan, once we've washed up and changed, we're heading _straight _for the springs, and we're not leaving until we're positively aglow, and the boys are _fawning_ over our beautiful skin!" Amadeus laughed as he stood up and pulled Severa up with him.

"Hah! That sounds more like the Severa I know. Although I'd say both you girls are already glowing brightly enough as is." Severa snorted at him, but Morgan's eyes glowed.

"Really, Father?" Amadeus nodded, but Severa shook her head and glared at Morgan.

"Morgan! Daddy compliments don't count. We could look like those Risen that we just finished off, and he'd _still _say that we're the most beautiful girls alive. Other than Mommy, of course." Amadeus grinned wickedly.

"I've thought you two were the prettiest girls alive since before I met you. And that includes your mother." He winked at Cordelia, who punched him in the arm.

Morgan was positively awestruck at the praise her father was heaping upon them, but Severa wouldn't relent.

"Ugh! Flattery will get you _nowhere!_ Now, let's go! We want as much time as possible in those springs." The wet cloth flew through the air back towards Amadeus, and Severa stomped off towards the stairs to their rooms.

"Oh..and, um, thank you guys." Severa turned and spoke softly to her parents. Cordelia tilted her head.

"Hm? What for?" Severa flushed slightly, and blustered on.

"For the stupid towels, of course! Not because you and Daddy called us radiant, glowing, or beautiful or anything. This and that are separate." She huffed and turned back towards the stairs, Morgan trailing behind her. Amadeus chuckled.

"Alright, I'll take note of that. I guess we should be thankful that you're so awful at hiding how you really feel." Severa paused and turned again.

"Well, it's your fault for marrying a wife who's just as bad at it…" She spoke so softly that Amadeus and Cordelia couldn't make out what she said, so Amadeus asked her again.

"Er, what was that, honey?"

"Oh, I just said I love you both!"

"Really?" Amadeus was pretty sure that wasn't what she said…

"Of course! Now, come _on! _Those springs are waiting for us!"

* * *

"Ah…" Amadeus leaned back in the spring. The springs were split into three buildings: one for men, one for women, and one that was mixed. Amadeus had considered taking Cordelia into the mixed building, but decided against it; some mother-daughter time never hurt, and he could always take her there when it was a more, ah, private time.

The buildings housing the springs weren't all too elaborate. It was a large, sloping, wide open area; essentially, it was four walls enclosing a bunch of small springs that one could bathe in. The steam from the springs wafted up into the air, creating a foggy atmosphere that could almost soothe one's mind all by itself.

"Well, you look like you're enjoying yourself." Chrom had wandered into the building, surprising Amadeus; he'd expected Chrom to be with Sumia. Chrom took the legendary Fire Emblem off his shoulder, and stripped down to his swimsuit, a blue one with the Brand emblazoned elegantly over his butt.

"Ha! I like the trunks, Chrom. Did Lucina pick it out for you?" Chrom sniggered at the reference to his daughter's questionable fashion sense.

"Yes..I was going to go for a plain blue one, but sometimes you just let the kids have what they want." Amadeus nodded, before gesturing towards the Fire Emblem.

"What is so important about that shield? It seems..just like that. A shield."

Chrom shook his head. "It's much more than that...but I'll tell you the basic gist of it. You see those indentations in the front?" Amadeus nodded. "Well, there's five gemstones that are supposed to go into those. Obviously, right now, there's only four. I've actually sent a scout to help locate the fifth...we may need it soon. When the Fire Emblem has all the gemstones placed...we can take it to Mount Prism to perform the Awakening. Then, the bearer must brave Naga's fire; if they do, they will become imbued with Naga's power-"

"And they will be able to defeat the fell dragon, should it rise again!" Amadeus interrupted.

"Yes. I hope to find the fifth and final gemstone, just in case Lucina's dark future does rear its ugly head…"

The two lapsed into a long silence before Amadeus decided to break it.

"Chrom...for once, I'm going to tell you to let down your guard. We came here to relax; why not actually do so? It's just a weekend; your scout is currently locating the last gemstone, and there is nothing we can do but wait. For now..enjoy the springs. Enjoy the off time with your family, and when or if the war comes, then we'll face it, just like we always have."

Chrom leaned back at this.

"Hah. You're right, Amadeus." Suddenly, the door burst open, and the rest of the men in the Shepherds barged in. Amadeus and Chrom quickly got up to greet everyone, and they all settled into the biggest pool to relax together.

* * *

It was already dark when Amadeus returned to his room. He turned the key and pushed the door open, expecting to see his family back, and sure enough, there they were. Lit candles provided soft lighting in the room, and he saw Morgan and Severa lying together on one bed, while Cordelia lay on the other, chatting with them.

"I'm back," he announced as he walked through the doorway and closed the door behind him. The three looked up at him, and Morgan and Severa quickly got up and hugged their father. Cordelia waited for the kids to finish before hugging him as well, and kissing him on the cheek.

"Ew, Mom! We're sharing a room, we don't want to see that!" Morgan made a disgusted face while saying this, and Severa played along with her classic fake wretching.

"Alright, alright, we'll keep that in mind." Cordelia blushed lightly before reaching over to tuck in the two girls. "You two get some sleep. The earlier you wake up, the more time you'll have to explore the resort tomorrow! I'm sure you'll find plenty to do."

"Yes, listen to your mother. Oh, and, Severa? If you're hanging out with Inigo...er, well, let us know." She snorted at this, and mumbled back, "Ugh..fine."

Amadeus kissed each of his daughters' foreheads, and whispered "I love you" into their ears. Soon, the sounds of soft, heavy breathing filled the room.

"Well, they're out. How was your day, dear?" Amadeus lay back down on the bed as he turned to address Cordelia.

"Oh, you know. All the girls went into the bath, so we were basically just talking about boyfriends and then other stuff. How about you?"

"Mostly the same, except we were talking about you guys. So, what'd you say about me?" She blushed.

"Well..they did ask if you were a good kisser, and some more..er, well, inappropriate things."

"Oh, really now? And what did you say?" His tone had become a playful, teasing one, and she flushed even more; Amadeus could even tell in the dim light of the room that she was turning beet red.

"Er..well...I said you...were?" She whispered it, just barely coherently, and he had to strain to hear her.

"Ha! Well, that's good." He then leaned over to plant a wet, juicy kiss on her lips, earning himself a light slap across the cheek.

"Amy! The children are here!" He relented, rolling back to lie next to her, and she wrapped her arms around him. "I didn't say that meant not to do it, though…" She kissed him on the cheek, and he smiled in satisfaction.

"Well, we should get some sleep. Wouldn't want to sleep through the rest of this weekend!" She nodded, and they kissed once more before closing their eyes and falling asleep, intertwined with each other.

* * *

They slept in the next day. When Amadeus woke, the midday sunlight was already streaming in through the windows. He felt for Cordelia next to him, but she was already gone. He looked at the bed on the other side of the room, and noticed his daughters were gone as well. There was a note left on the bedside table.

_Hi sleepyhead! We went out to visit some of the souvenir shops and explore the resort. See you when you wake up! Love you!_

_-Morgan and Severa_

He smiled as he folded up the letter and tucked it into his robe.

"Good morning! You slept like a rock." Cordelia had come back with a tray of food. "I thought it'd be nice if I let you sleep and brought you brunch in bed."

"Heh. Thanks, honey." He shifted over to allow her space on the bed with him, and they shared the food. "This is delicious! What's in it?"

She waved a hand dismissively.

"Not much, really. It's just a stew from the room service menu. I couldn't find a place to get ingredients to cook, so I just got something from them."

They quickly finished the food, and Amadeus got ready to go out.

"Well then, shall we? I'm sure there's lots to do here." Cordelia smiled as he offered his arm.

"Yes! It's a date, then." The two left the room, arm in arm.

Since neither of them really knew what there was to do at the resort, they went to the lobby to ask around. There was a string of small souvenir shops, probably the ones that his daughters had mentioned, and there was also the baths themselves. There also seemed to be a small carnival/market hybrid, somewhat similar to the Harvest Festival they'd experienced at Regna Ferox but much smaller.

The souvenir shops had all sorts of small, glittering fancies. Amadeus smiled as Cordelia suddenly transformed into a grown-up version of their daughters; she dragged him into shop after shop, oohing and aahing at all the cute, shiny things she found. While in the shops, they ran into quite a few of the Shepherds; the place wasn't huge, and the Shepherds made up most of the clientele for this particular weekend. He was glad to see that most of the couples were spending the day together; after the large group hangouts of the day before, it seemed like everyone wanted to take advantage of such a nice place to enjoy with their significant other.

"Amy! Look at these! Aren't they pretty?" Cordelia's sharp tug brought him back to his senses.

"Hm?" He looked at what she was pointing at. They were a pair of hair clips designed in the shape of pegasus wings. Amadeus could see why his girlfriend thought they were pretty; the details were intricately and carefully welded onto the metal, and you could almost see each individual feather on the wings, despite the fact that they were so small he could easily fit maybe four of them onto his hand. They were also coated in silver, giving it a gleaming, shining effect.

"Hah, yes, dear. They are quite pretty." He watched as his girlfriend tore her eyes away from the hair clips and continued scouring the store. He barely heard her mumble something.

"...sworn to higher ideals...than beauty…"

"Hm.." Amadeus had an idea.

* * *

After going through all the souvenir shops and carnivals, Amadeus and Cordelia met with their daughters for a nice, quiet dinner in a small restaurant. Cordelia excused herself from the dinner, saying she had plans with Sumia and a few other Shepherds, which Amadeus found odd, seeing as she'd just spent time with them the night before, but he knew better than to question his wife.

After the dinner, they headed home.

"Daddy! Can I get a piggyback ride?" Severa jumped on his back without waiting for an answer, and he obliged her with a wide smile on his face.

"Oof. Severa, you're getting heavy…" The girl instantly jumped off his back.

"What? Are you saying that I'm getting..fat?" She unconsciously patted her stomach; probably not the best idea, Amadeus thought, as she was slightly bloated from all the food she'd just eaten.

"AIEE! I AM GETTING A BELLY!" Amadeus laughed as he hushed her.

"Shh, dear. It's just because you just ate; it'll fade down in a bit." He ran a hand through her hair, and they continued walking, Severa holding onto one hand and Morgan clutching the other.

Finally, they reached their room. The two girls were exhausted from all the walking that they'd done that day; Severa had spent the day with Inigo, and had apparently dragged Morgan along with them. Amadeus had to carry the two girls one at a time up the stairs to their room, where he laid them carefully on the bed and tucked them in.

"Goodnight, Severa." He planted a kiss on her forehead and ran a hand through her platinum hair.

"Goodnight, Morgan." He repeated the kiss, running a hand through Morgan's scarlet locks.

Finally, he sat on his bed, waiting for Cordelia to return. He wanted to read, but was afraid that the candlelight might wake up his daughters, so he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, letting himself fall into a daydream.

_If only..every day were like this. What is it like, to not know war? To actually live in a time of peace? Maybe now I'll finally know...but Chrom mentioned the Awakening. Was winning the Valmese war enough to divert Lucina's terrible future? Or was it like Emmeryn again, where we simply delayed the inevitable? What did Lucina say? "Time always favors its original course…"_

The sound of the door creaking open interrupted his thoughts.

"I'm back!" He quickly shushed Cordelia and pointed at the sleeping children. She put her hands over her mouth, and gingerly tiptoed to his side. "I missed you, Amy." She whispered softly into his ear and kissed him on the cheek.

"I missed you too, Cordy." He whispered back as he kissed her ear lightly.

_Huh. I guess I have a pet name for her now too. _

"What, you can't call me that! People are going to laugh!" She pouted furiously, her lower lip jutting out further than Amadeus had thought anatomically possible.

"Well then. Consider it payback for the fact that everyone in camp calls me Amy now." He paused, remembering something. "Oh. Here. I got something for you." He reached into his bag and pulled out something small and shiny from it.

"Oh? That's funny. I have something for you, too." He finally noticed in the dim light that she seemed to be holding her hands behind her back. "Here, Amy. It's..just something small. I hope you like it." She pulled her arms back around to show him what it was.

He gasped at what he saw. It was a small, hand-stitched figure of a wyvern. But it wasn't just any wyvern. It was his wyvern, Aster. Even in the night, he could see that an intense amount of attention had been paid to detail; down to the scars on her legs, how she normally contorted her body when standing, everything.

"Cordelia..it's amazing. When did you find the time to do this?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh, here and there. It did take me a while to find the right color for the outside...but do you like it?" He reached over and stroked her hair.

"Like it? Cordy..I love it. And it's going to stay with me forever. Now, your turn!" He pressed the thing he'd taken from his bag into her now-empty hands.

"Oh? What's-" She gasped as she opened her palm and saw what it was. The pegasus wing hair clips that they'd seen from earlier now lay in her palm.

"Well, I heard you mumble something about being sworn to higher ideals than being beautiful. Side note, I think you're beautiful even without trying, but I thought that if you couldn't get it for yourself, you know, what if someone else got them for you as a gift? It fits you, seeing as you're a pegasus knight-" The rest of his speech was interrupted by Cordelia throwing herself on top of him and kissing him all over his face. She paused only to put the two clips into her hair, and Amadeus smiled at the look. She looked, if possible, even more stunning than ever. He held her close, whispering into her ear.

"I love you, Cordelia. I love you so much."

"And I, you, Amadeus."

* * *

"Do we _really _have to go, Father?" Morgan tried the puppy dog eyes on Amadeus, but they didn't work, for once.

"Morgan, honey, we can't. This reservation was a gift from Anna's sister, so we should be gracious we got to spend the entire weekend here already. Now come on! We need to finish packing and head home."

The Shepherds had made the decision that they'd all leave on their own schedules. It wasn't a long march back to Ylisse, and if some people wanted to head home early, or some wanted to stay and enjoy the resort for a bit longer, there wouldn't be a conflict.

Amadeus, Cordelia, Severa, and Morgan finished packing their things and walked down the stairs to return their room keys. When they got to the lobby, they ran into Lon'qu, Olivia, and their child, Inigo. Severa jumped at seeing him, and turned to her parents.

"Oh, right, I'm going to go home later. I'm going to spend some more time here with Inigo!" Amadeus was surprised; he hadn't been told of this development, and judging by Cordelia's face, neither had she.

"Er..alright then?" He couldn't see any harm in it. "But..first, let me and your mother talk to Inigo." The boy had a reputation as a...philanderer of sorts.

"Okay! Inigo, come here. My parents want to talk to you." Amadeus and Cordelia turned to each other, trading wicked grins before turning back to the boy.

They pulled him to the side of the lobby so that they were out of earshot of the others.

"So. Inigo. How long have you and Severa been going out?" Cordelia asked, almost casually.

"Erm..well, since after we jumped into the portal, actually. Er..only recently!" He sputtered.

"That's all well and good." Amadeus replied. "But..let's just say, your reputation...precedes you." Inigo stepped back.

"Oh? My reputation, sir? Heavens, what could you mean by that?" His face had gone chalk white, but Amadeus continued smiling sweetly at him.

"Just..the odd story here and there. Taking a girl out for a nice tea...and then turning around and ignoring that girl when a prettier one comes by." Amadues kept his tone light, and kept the silly grin plastered on his face as Cordelia finished up.

"So...just letting you know, whoever makes our baby girl cry because he ditches her for another girl...why, that'd be a _terribly horrible _thing to do." Cordelia had the same grin on her face as Amadeus did. "Do we understand each other now, Inigo?" The boy nodded, his face still white.

"Alright, that's all. Go enjoy your date with Severa." Amadeus turned him back towards the group in the center of the lobby, and he staggered back towards them.

"Inigo? Are you okay? Why are you so pale?" Severa rushed up to him, not noticing her parents stifling laughs behind her.

* * *

The gates of Ylisstol rose in front of them. They were about ten minutes from home now, having marched through the day.

"Mom..why do girls start liking guys?" The question was kind of sudden; Cordelia looked at Amadeus, who shrugged.

"Er...well..as you get older, you'll start to understand." She tried to brush off the question, but Morgan's inquisitive nature kept pushing her on.

"But why do people start falling in _love_? I don't get it. Like Severa! All she talks about is boys now." Amadeus stroked his younger daughters scarlet hair.

"Well, as you get older, you start thinking about getting married, and starting a family. So you look for someone that you'd be willing to spend the rest of your life with! But you're just a bit young for that, so I guess you haven't really started thinking about it yet." Morgan gave her dad a face.

"But I'm not _that _young! When did you start liking Mother? Or, Mother, when did you start liking Father?" Cordelia and Amadeus' eyes darted towards each other.

"Er..well, will you look at that! We're at the gates already; I guess we'll just have to tell you the story some other time!" Amadeus pointed at the gates that now stood in front of them.

* * *

The next few days went by in a blur. Cordelia had insisted on starting wedding planning right away. Days were filled with designing and preparing invitation letters, as well as occasionally planning the actual wedding itself. Cordelia wanted the invitations to be elaborate, and fancy, and so they spent a few days just on the design alone. Amadeus had wanted a small, private wedding, but being Chrom's advisor, there were many political guests he was obligated to invite, and as a result, the stack of invitations kept growing and growing.

Amadeus was overwhelmed by all the activities and responsibilities whirling around him and his girlfriend.

_No, not girlfriend anymore. Fiancee. _He smiled as he thought of the chain of events that had brought him to this day. What were the chances?

He found himself wandering through the castle, having found a rare moment of respite. He smiled as he went through, in his mind, all the events that had somehow brought him to this day. From the day he woke up in that field, looking up at Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick, to the Plegian War...and then the two years of peace, and the Valmese War that they'd just finished...somehow, along the way, he'd also managed to find love.

"Hm…." A loud sigh startled him from his thoughts, and he looked around. He had meandered into the Shepherd's Garrison. The tables were strewn with books and unsharpened weapons, and old, cracked armor. All over the floor were the deposited weapons that had been hastily returned with the conclusion of the war. And, in the center of it all, a familiar blue-haired man stood, sighing to himself.

"Chrom?" The man turned. "I know that face. 'Dueling with unpleasant thoughts', are we?" Chrom laughed at the reference to the past.

"You know me too well, Amadeus." Chrom took a seat at one of the benches, and Amadeus took the seat opposite him.

"True. It's been a while. Remember the first time I was here? When Lissa took me here to meet all the Shepherds…" Amadeus smiled at the memory. "I also met Sumia that day, you know." He winked at his friend. "That's one of my first memories, in a way. Or, really, it's one of the first happy ones."

Chrom laughed.

"Heh. I suppose so. I wish all our memories since then could have been as joyful." Amadeus smile fell at this.

"Yes..so much needless blood shed. Days filled with pain, doubt, and war...we'd never have made it without you there guiding us, Chrom."

Chrom's eyebrow raised in surprise.

"That's odd. I was about to say the exact same to you."

The smile returned to Amadeus' face as he remembered something Chrom had told him long ago.

"I guess we really are two halves of the same whole." The two shared a quick laugh before lapsing back into silence.

Chrom finally broke it.

"Amadeus...you're not going to like what I'm about to say. Let me preface it by saying that we'll have to delay your wedding." Amadeus nodded slowly.

_Gods, please don't be what I think it is. If it's Lucina's future somehow having found a way to happen now…_

"The messenger returned today with news of the final Gemstone. King Validar, of Plegia, has been guarding it...and he wishes to return it to us now."

"Validar…" The name brought back memories that Amadeus would rather forget.

"Yes. He requests that we be present in person, so he can present it to us." Amadeus shook his head vigorously.

"No! Chrom, the Risen that attacked us after last time were no accident…" Chrom held up a hand to stop his tactician.

"I know. But we have no choice. And don't worry. We'll be walking into this with all the Shepherds armed to the teeth." Amadeus sighed.

"When are we marching out, then?" He asked in a resigned tone.

"Tomorrow. Don't worry. I promise your wedding will be the first thing we attend to when we return."

"Hm. I'll hold you to that promise." Amadeus allowed himself a small smile despite the situation, and Chrom returned it.

* * *

Cordelia was none too happy about having their wedding delayed, but she understood. The decision was made to leave the children behind in Ylisstol. They'd protested, but agreed in the end.

Chrom and Amadeus had decided the night before that the children wouldn't go along; they needed some able-bodied warriors, as Amadeus had said, to stay in Ylisstol just in case Validar decided to attack while they were gone.

The children had gathered at the gates to send off their parents, watching as they set off for what they hoped would be a thoroughly straightforward mission.

"But Father, I want to go with you! I don't want to lose you again!" Morgan pulled on Amadeus' robe.

"Morgan, honey, I want to make sure you're safe too. But what if Validar knows that we'll be sending all our best soldiers? Then he can attack Ylisstol. I need you to stay here and help with the planning and strategy for the defense of Ylisstol while we're gone, alright?" Morgan wanted to argue, but knew that her father was right. He gave her a kiss and turned to his other daughter, who'd just finished saying goodbye to her mother.

"Daddy...you remember your promise?" She sniffed, trying to hold back tears.

"Yes, dear. Don't worry. I'll be back before you know it. It's just a diplomatic meeting; nothing will go wrong!" He was reassuring her as much as he was reassuring himself. He kissed Severa gently and turned.

It was time to go.

* * *

**Wow, that ended up being a lot longer than I was expecting. I was actually considering splitting this into two chapters. **

**I ended up going with the hot spring; there wasn't really much reasoning, I just wasn't sure what I could write for having them at the beach just yet. **

**Also, we see the development of the relationship between Morgan and Severa in this chapter. I hadn't really touched on that before, and I thought that this would be a good opportunity. Mostly, we've seen Severa as kind of the figurehead, while Morgan follows her sister in her shenanigans. This may be because Morgan is, as Severa said, agreeable, but we can see that Morgan does think quite a bit, and she actually understands her sister in a way that only siblings would.  
We also see some more depth in Severa; despite her exterior, she does worry about how she is perceived, and it does bug her; she just can't help herself most of the time.**

**In regards to both sisters, we see that they're really just happy beyond belief to not only be seeing their parents again, but actually enjoying their time. As Severa said, there was no time to relax in their future; there was no talk of the fun things that they could do later, because there simply was no reason to think that far. For them, 'having fun' is a foreign concept that they perhaps once knew as very young children, but forgot as they grew up because of their situation. **

**Lastly, I thought the wing clips thing would be cute; I know, I know, she has them all throughout the game, but sue me for taking some liberties with things. Anyways, Cordelia will hold those hair clips dear; I may write something about them in the next chapter, when the Shepherds go to Plegia. **

**Also, this marks another turning point in the story. After all the action in the beginning, there's been a lull in terms of fighting, and the Shepherds have had some time to develop their relationships and also just relax and forget about war. But now, I'm going to get into the endgame, when they face their true final fight. **

**In a way, I think that Amadeus knew this was coming, and that this peace was tentative. He drops some hints, but because of how much he is enjoying life right now, he just can't bring himself to admit to himself that he knows it won't really be over until Grima is dead. **

**Koye: sorry I didn't do the beach yet! Hopefully this is a good enough substitute, and I do promise that the beach will come in the future!**

**Patient 0 Zero: well...yes, you're right, but I wasn't sure if I went a bit _too _overboard. Glad you liked it, though; sometimes, corny is best! :)**

**Jozern: Yes, I can see that. :( I'm not sure if I'm really going to focus on that, but we'll see. **

**ANOTHER THING: Please feel free to let me know if you have suggestions. I've used a couple from reviewers/pms, and if possible, I'll do my best to work your ideas into the story. However, I just want to say that if I don't, please, please, PLEASE don't feel offended; it might just not fit, and I don't want things to sound, as Jozern mentioned, forced. **

**So, please enjoy this chapter! Next chapter, you guys can probably guess what will happen if you've played to this point in the game. :)**


	15. Chapter 14

A giant skull lay before them. Amadeus remembered that skull; it was emblazoned in his memory, for he had seen it the day that Emmeryn fell.

"Yes..even when Emmeryn fell, it reminded me of..._him._"

_Wait, that voice isn't supposed to be here…_

Lucina popped out from a bush, much to everyone's surprise.

"Lucina?! What are you doing here? I thought we left you all back at home to protect Ylisstol!" Chrom was furious at his daughter. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Validar won't attack. I know it. Don't worry; the others are still there just in case. But..I have seen the future. It won't happen." She turned her attention back to the giant skull. The head was long, almost the size of one of the caravans in the convoy. The mouth stretched back into the giant skull, filled with rows of razor-sharp, serrated teeth. Two great holes on each side of the head signaled where eyes should have been. "Grima…"

Amadeus and Chrom's eyes met.

"You mean the fell dragon, Lucina?" Chrom questioned his daughter.

"Yes...a cataclysmic war ushered in his return. He fed upon the souls of the dead before turning his attention to the living.." Lucina's eyes glazed over as her mind went back to some horrific flashback of the future, and Chrom reached out his arms to hold her.

"Lucina..don't worry. We won't let him come back to life in this timeline." He quickly turned her attention away from the skull, and back to the march.

Cordelia marched next to him, gripping his arm tightly at Lucina's recollection of the fell dragon. He'd decided against bringing mounts for this particular march, because he assumed that Validar would try to jump them in the castle; within the confines of the corridors, mounts would most likely be more hindrance than help; therefore, the pegasus knights, Cordelia and Sumia, were forced to march on land, something that they didn't usually do.

"Don't worry, Cordelia. Even if he comes back, we'll stop him. I'm sure of it. Lucina's already shown us that the future can be changed." She nodded, and relaxed her grip on his arm a little bit.

In minutes, they reached the gates to Plegia's central castle. Two guards lowered their lances at the oncoming Shepherds.

"Halt! Who goes there!" Chrom sighed and stepped forward.

"I am Chrom, of Ylisstol. We have requested an audience with King Validar." The guards relaxed their lances, and stood aside to let the Shepherds through. The Shepherds were ushered deeper within the castle, Amadeus noticed out of the corner of his eye that there were armed soldiers hiding in the shadows.

He kept this information in his head, and quickly scouted out an escape route should things go sour.

_That corridor to the left, with the painting...it should work for an escape. It's wide enough that we won't clog it…_

When they reached the entrance to the throne room, the guards once again raised their lances at the Shepherds.

"Halt! Only Chrom and Amadeus may proceed from here." Amadeus relinquished Cordelia's hand as Chrom did the same with Sumia. They both turned back to give the two pegasus knights reassuring looks, before following the two guards into the throne room.

"Psst. Chrom," Amadeus whispered.

"Hm?"

"There were armed guards hiding in the shadows...it's not going to be easy to get out of here."

"Don't worry. We'll cut them down." Chrom hushed Amadeus as the door behind the throne opened. A tall, skinny, dark man with a long goatee entered the room, followed by a shorter, paler-skinned woman. Both wore robes with the dark purple and midnight tint of Plegia.

"Well met, milord." Amadeus and Chrom recognized the girl now.

"Aversa." Chrom inclined his head ever so slightly, as did Amadeus.

"Prince Chrom! Welcome to Plegia. I trust our efforts in Valm were successful?" He extended a bony hand to the prince, who shook it warily.

"Yes..Plegia's aid will not be forgotten." There was a palpable tension in the air between the four, as they all knew that the false pleasantries would not last. "I was told that you wanted to present me with something?"

Validar laughed, or at least let out a harsh, cracking sound that Amadeus assumed was a laugh.

"My, my. No time for courtesy, Prince? Such impatience.." He stroked his beard. "Now why do you want this 'thing' so badly? This is a concerning development. Even a budding scholar knows that the potential of the Fire Emblem and the five Gemstones is...well, limitless." He pointed a long, thin finger at Chrom. "That is a fact that Plegia, and the Grimleal, sadly, know all too well."

"What? 'Sadly'?" Chrom was barely containing his emotions. "You speak ill of when the first Exalt used the Fire Emblem to strike down the fell dragon?" Amadeus put a hand on Chrom's shoulder to calm him down.

"Hah! Yes, my son. Calm down this crazed beast you call a friend. Now, give me the Fire Emblem! Hand it over, _now_!" His bony finger moved from Chrom to the shield that rested on his left arm.

_Well. So much for diplomacy._

"W-what?" Chrom took a step back, clearly surprised. Things were definitely taking a turn for the worse…

"I will only ask once more..give me the Fire Emblem!" The hand reached for the golden shield, but Chrom knocked it away, having regained his composure.

"Never." Validar retracted his hand.

"Very well then. Guards! Seize them!" Four guards emerged from the shadows. Amadeus quickly grabbed Chrom's arm and turned him back towards where they had entered from. They sprinted towards the door, knocking out two of the guards along the way.

"Chrom! Everyone! This way!" Amadeus yelled when they burst out of the throne room.

_Corridor with the painting…_ His eyes scanned for that path, and finally, he found it. He funneled the Shepherds through, only following after the last one was through.

The corridor opened into a larger banquet hall, filled with Plegian warriors.

_Grah! Validar must have known. _

"Amadeus! Guide us." Chrom turned to his tactician.

"Not much strategy here, Chrom. Cut down any who get in our way. We need to get _out _of here!" The ensuing fight was quick and brutal. The Shepherds charged as a unit and, as Amadeus commanded, cut down any and all Plegians who got in their way.

They fought with a ferocity born from desperation, and were quickly through. The Plegians didn't stand a chance. Steel whirred through the air, hewing through bodies. Magic-induced fire and lightning roared from above, smiting down any foolish enough to stand in their way. Amadeus quickly ushered the Shepherds out until it was just him, Chrom, and Lucina left in the castle.

"Alright! Everyone's out. Amadeus, Lucina, let's get out of here!" Chrom took a step towards the exit, but suddenly, a strange orange light circled from the ground in front of him. "Huh?" He took a step back, and Validar stepped out of the orange light.

He held out a hand towards Chrom's face, and there was a flash of light. Chrom was suddenly grabbing his head, kneeling on the floor.

"Nnhh...aghhh!" He groped at the air in pain, and Lucina raced to his side.

"Father! No!"

Validar laughed his slow, mocking laugh.

"Heh heh...run all you want. Fate will catch up to us all in the end. Now. The Fire Emblem. Give it now, or it will be taken from you." He gestured at the shield once more.

Chrom managed to stagger back to his feet and held Falchion in a ready position.

"I'd like to see you try!" Falchion's deadly tip pointed at Validar, who merely shook his head.

"You still don't understand...I won't have to move a muscle. Amadeus!" He turned to the tactician, who looked around, confused.

"Hu-ARGH!" He crumpled to the ground, grabbing his head.

His mind suddenly became a cacophony of high pitched shrieks and squeals.

"Grah! Ngh…"

"Amadeus?" Chrom turned to face his tactician, who was still kneeling on the ground, clutching and grabbing at his head.

Validar's voice now rang through the chaos.

_Seize the Emblem and bring it to me, my child. _

_No! I won't...nghh! Gods, but I can't control my body! _

Amadeus couldn't do anything. He tried as hard as he could, but some inner power was overcoming his will. He felt his body take a step towards Chrom, and he tried to force it back.

"Nghh...No! I..gah!" His body took another step. "No! I can't...nghh!" A hand reached out, tearing the Fire Emblem from Chrom's arm and throwing it over to Validar.

His hand.

_Oh gods...what have I done.._

Validar teleported away, his cackle ringing in the hall. But Amadeus could still hear him in his head.

_Before I go, son, let me give you back some of your memories…_

"ARGH!" Amadeus very nearly blacked out as a sudden spike of pain burst through his head.

"Damn you, Validar!" Chrom swung his sword at the air in frustration. Amadeus, finally back in control of his body, could only fall to the floor in shock.

"W-what have I done…" He stayed on his knees, staring at the ground.

"Amadeus! We have to get out of here. Quickly!" Chrom pulled him up, and he nodded.

They finally caught up with the others. Cordelia and Sumia rushed out to greet them, having been worried when they didn't come out with the initial wave of Shepherds.

"Amy! Are you alright? You're drenched in sweat, and you're awfully pale!" Cordelia pulled him to the medical tent and quickly brought him a canteen of water. "Honey...is everything okay?" She stroked his hair softly and kept a hand to his forehead to make sure a fever wasn't oncoming.

"Y-yes...I think." She caught his hesitation, but he shook his head.

_Later_, he mouthed, and she understood. He passed out in seconds, and she stayed with him even as he slept, her eyes full of concern.

* * *

_He was watching from above. A woman, carrying a baby in a basket, was talking with Validar._

"_No! You can't do that to him!" Her voice...was that...his mother? _

"_He is destined for greatness! He is a candidate to become the vessel of Grima! What more could a Grimleal ask for, Erika? Grima himself has chosen him! It is shown in the mark he bears on his right hand!" He pointed to the crying baby's tiny hand, where the deep purple mark of Grima had embedded itself. _

"_No..Validar, Grima pines only for the destruction of this world! I won't allow my baby boy to become the vessel for such a terrible being…" Validar reached out and slapped her face._

"_How dare you! How dare you speak ill of the fell dragon...you will be punished. Unless...you hand over the boy. Stop your trickery and shenanigans, and allow him to fulfill his destiny! No matter how hard you try..it is all written. Fate will find a way to flow back to its original course..you will not be able to stop Grima's return!" _

_The woman took a step back. _

"_No..fate can be changed. I will show you! While I am alive...I will not let you corrupt this boy with the teachings of the Grimleal. He will not have the chance to become Grima's vessel. I swear it on my life." Validar's lips curled into a smile of contempt. _

"_Ha. You are strong; I'll give you that. But how long do you think you can keep him from me..and Grima? The fell dragon will find you eventually..and when he does, you will pray for mercy." The woman ignored him, and departed the hall with the baby. _

_Mother…?_

"Mother!" His eyes shot open.

"No, silly. I'm not your mother, I'm just your girlfriend. How are you feeling now?" Cordelia was looking over him, a soft, worried look on her face.

"Oh..just..bad dreams."

Cordelia nodded.

"I surmised as much. Anyways, Chrom wants to talk to you. I'll wait outside." She kissed him lightly on the lips and left; from inside the tent, he could see her shadow motioning Chrom into the tent.

The flap opened, and Chrom walked in.

"How are you feeling, Amadeus?" Chrom took the seat that Cordelia had just been in.

"Chrom...I.." Amadeus took a deep breath. "What I did..it's, it's unforgivable. It's-"

"Enough." Chrom's tone was soft, but concealed a layer of steel that Amadeus rarely heard. "Save your energy for helping us track him down, and for developing a strategy to finish him off."

Amadeus shook his head.

"N-no! You can't keep me around anymore. He could use me again..Chrom you _can't _trust me. He could easily have me put a blade in your back! His blood in me..must give him some dominion over me…" Amadeus unconsciously looked at the purple mark on his hand, the mark of Grima.

_Validar's blood in me...my inheritance._

"No, Amadeus. You can fight it. I saw you fighting it. And..well, if he expects you to obey him, then perhaps we can use that to our advantage."

Amadeus still couldn't bring himself to agree with Chrom.

"Chrom..you put too much faith in me. But you can't trust me!"

"Enough. We need to get to tracking down Validar."

"But you're not _listening_, Chrom! I can't-"

"You're sounding like Sumia when we have arguments; except, you're not my wife, so you don't automatically win. The deed is done; Validar has the Fire Emblem. That can't be changed. But, we can still undo the damage by tracking him down before he can awaken Grima." Chrom extended his hand to Amadeus. "We _won't _let that monstrosity come back, Amadeus." Amadeus took his hand and shook it.

"I...I will try my best." He sighed and closed his eyes as he lay back. "Chrom...I have to tell Cordelia. About my lineage…" The prince nodded.

"I understand. But..it would be better if this didn't become common knowledge."

"Yes, of course." Chrom left the tent, and Cordelia instantly came back in.

Grabbing his hand, she fussed over him for a bit before finally concluding that nothing had gone wrong.

"Cordelia...remember what I told you? About my being Validar's son?"

Cordelia tilted her head in response.

"Yes?"

"Well..I had another dream just now. Before we left the castle..that was when Validar took the Fire Emblem. He..he used me to take it. He controlled me...I felt like my body was attached to strings, and he just manipulated me to do what he wanted. I could feel my body moving, but I was powerless to stop it."

Cordelia quietly took this all in.

"But..you can fight it, can't you?"

"Yes..but I couldn't stop it this time. Eventually, it still worked...and I might know why. Remember when I woke up just now, I yelled out 'Mother'? Well..I had a dream. Before we ran away from Plegia..Validar said he was going to give me back some of my memories. And I saw my mother...she wanted to keep me away from Validar. But Validar said...I could become the vessel of the fell dragon...that Grima's blood flows in my veins. That might be what gives him control over me…" He looked beseechingly at Cordelia. "Cordelia..you need to stay away from me. He could take control over me at any moment...and I can't risk-" She suddenly slapped him on the face. "W-what was that for?"

"Don't you _ever _tell me to stay away from you. I don't care _what _the reason is. I'm not going to leave you, Amadeus. I don't care that you have the fell dragon's blood in you." She pushed up his robe sleeve to reveal the purple mark, and she stroked it absentmindedly. "I love everything about you. It doesn't matter what your past is..or what your bloodline is. What matters is what you are right now, at this moment, and it's that Amadeus that I'm in love with. We'll find a way to fight it; like you said earlier, we've already changed the future. Fate can be rewritten, and we'll do just that." She suddenly brightened up. "Oh! And I have an idea for how to help you. You wouldn't ever break a promise you made to me, right?"

Amadeus smiled despite himself.

"I remember telling you something to that effect, yes."

"Well, then, you'll just have to promise me that you won't let Validar take control of you again!" She said it with such earnestness that he couldn't help but agree. It was such a ridiculous proposition...but she seemed so happy, and sure that it would work, that he had to go along.

"Very well. I promise you that I won't let Validar take control of me again, Cordelia."

She smile approvingly, and kissed him again. He felt himself relax just a little bit, for the first time that day.

"Cordelia..thank you."

"Heh. Anytime, Amy. You feel ready to come back to our tent now?" He nodded, and she helped him to slowly get up and out of the medical tent.

When they reached their tent, she guided him to their old cot, and made sure he was comfortable before getting in next to him. She laid her head against his chest and made a point to hold his right hand, the hand embossed with Grima's mark. Soon, her body went limp as sleep claimed her, and in minutes, he was asleep as well.

* * *

_The city was burning. Not a building had been spared, as the city had been turned into one giant, orange, all-consuming inferno. Two girls clambered around the wreckage of what had presumably been their home._

"_Argh! Where are they? We can't leave without them…" The two girls sifted through the wreckage. One had platinum hair, tied up in pigtails. The other had brilliant, scarlet hair. _

"_Ah! Here they are!" The girl with the scarlet hair lifted two small objects from the rubble. She tossed one to the other girl, and held tightly on to the other one. _

"_These are all we have left of them…" The pigtailed girl wiped a tear off her face. "Come on! They're waiting for us outside." _

_They ran away from the wreckage, hacking away at the Risen that got in their way. Suddenly, a great tremor shook the ground, knocking them to the floor._

"_Gah! Are you alright?" The two girls helped each other up and tried to get the bearings._

_A deep, gravelly voice suddenly filled the air around them._

"_So ends the human race…" The voice seemed to be coming from the sky. "The future is built upon the past..but your kind shall never see it!" The two girls turned to face the voice, sword and lance at the ready. _

_Red dots illuminated through the smoke. The girls stepped back, still holding their weapons up and towards whatever was addressing them._

"_Your mother and father...are dead, tiny ones." _

"_N-no.."_

"_No! They can't be!" _

_The voice laughed, and a great purple dragon, its body the size of the city it had destroyed, reared up on its great legs. _

"_And now it is your turn...to die!" The mouth of the dragon opened up, and sped towards the two girls…_

* * *

Amadeus woke in a cold sweat again.

_That dream...is that what happens if we can't stop Grima? Were those...my daughters?_ He tried to shake his head to clear his thoughts, and decided on some fresh air. The morning sun was barely rising; the sky was still an ominous blue, tinted with a faint orange. He carefully wiggled his body out from under Cordelia's head, being careful not to wake the sleeping woman, and walked out of the tent.

Amadeus found a rock to sit on, and sighed to himself.

"Why...why does he have control over me? And why are my dreams coming back now…" He was speaking to himself, but he heard footsteps approaching.

"Amadeus? Um..may I have a word?" Lucina emerged from the trees, a somber look on her face.

"Oh. Lucina. Of course. What troubles you?" He relaxed at seeing it was a friend, and not an enemy.

"Well, it's about my father. I have memories of him, of course, from when I was young. Well..at least before he..died." She wiped away a tear. "He was courageous, kind, compassionate..everything the people wanted and needed in a leader. Nary a soul spoke negatively of him. Now that I've gotten to know him better in this timeline...I can see that if he were to die again, the world will be robbed of a great man."

Amadeus nodded in agreement.

"Lucina...your father is the best of all of us. He is the combination of all the best parts of each of us...the paragon that we all wish we could be, and yet know that we cannot be."

"Yes. I cannot allow this world to be robbed of him."

Amadeus smiled. Lucina really loved her father above all else.

"I understand. You love him, as do we all. As do all of his subjects. As does most anyone who comes into contact with him."

Lucina didn't reply. She was staring at the ground, and her body had suddenly become tense.

"Lucina? Is everything okay?"

She finally looked up at him with a desperate fire in her eyes.

"I...I'm so sorry." She drew her own copy of Falchion, and pointed it at Amadeus. "Please...forgive me."

"L-Lucina? What are you doing?" He backed away, but the tip of the great sword still pointed threateningly over his beating heart.

"Stay where you are, Amadeus! I...I must kill you." She couldn't look him in the eye as she said this; instead, she fixed her eyes on the point of Falchion.

"W-what? What madness is this?" But just as the words left his mouth, he knew the answer.

_This 'madness' was from what had happened in the castle in Plegia…_

"In the future...you killed my father!"

"N-no! That's insane! Why would I kill-" He stopped, as he remembered a long-forgotten dream.

_The jagged bolt of lightning in Chrom's stomach...that was me?_

"I didn't know..but now I am certain! They said my father was betrayed, killed by his closest friend...Obviously, when I came to this timeline, that was you. I couldn't believe you killed him..until last night. Validar will control you...and use you to kill him. You are his puppet...he can manipulate you at will, and he will take advantage of this to kill my father."

"Lucina...wait."

"No! If my dark future is to be averted...sacrifices must be made. You, of all people, know that sometimes there must be martyrs. Amadeus...I am sorry. But I will do what I must!"

"Lucina! Stop. You don't have to do this…"

"Stop! Don't...don't make this any harder. Don't resist, and I will end you swiftly and painlessly!" Her sword wavered just a bit. "If you hold any love for Chrom...let this be done."

Amadeus sighed. He knew that Lucina was right...it was drastic, but it would achieve the same thing he'd tried to convince Chrom to do earlier that night; to remove him from Chrom's immediate presence, so that he could not be used as a weapon.

"Very well, Lucina. I forfeit my life." He held his hands up to show that he was unarmed.

"Godspeed, Amadeus." She lifted Falchion, and he closed his eyes and braced himself for his own death.

"WAIT!" Another voice rang out, and they both turned. Chrom ran out from a bush, followed closely by Cordelia. Cordelia's arms went around Amadeus, and Chrom quickly pulled back his daughter. "Lucina, that's quite enough!"

Lucina shook her head.

"Father, you don't understand!"

"Lucina. Lower your sword." Chrom's voice had a steely tone to it, and his daughter decided it was in her best interest to listen. As she lowered her sword, Amadeus felt Cordelia's grip on him tighten, and he saw her glare at the younger girl. "Lucina...I know your heart is in the right place. I heard everything you said...but I trust Amadeus. Nothing can shake my faith in him."

Lucina opened her mouth to interrupt.

"But don't you see? He'll be the death of you!"

Chrom turned on his daughter.

"That's _enough_, Lucina! Amadeus and I have held fast through times good and bad. I trust in the bonds that we've developed, far more than I trust in 'fate' or some 'grand scheme of things'. We can change things...we've _already _changed things.

Lucina finally relented.

"Alright. Fine, Father." She turned to Amadeus and Cordelia, who was still glaring at Lucina. "Amadeus...I would ask for your forgiveness, but I will not expect it."

"Don't worry, Lucina. We won't speak of this again. Like your father said, your heart was in the right place."

Cordelia laughed mirthlessly.

"You'd better hope this doesn't come up again…" Her voice dripped with venom as her eyes pierced Lucina.

Lucina turned away. "I hope that you will all prove me wrong." She left, and Chrom turned to Amadeus, nodding in apology before following his daughter.

"Amadeus! You were just going to let her _kill_ you?" Cordelia now turned on him.

"But..if she was right! What if I do turn and kill Chrom?" Cordelia ignored him.

"I told you _last night _that it wasn't going to happen. You _promised _me it wouldn't happen! And then I wake up and find you gone, and I get here just in time to save you from letting your best friend's daughter kill you?"

"Cordelia...honey, I was thinking of what was best for the Shepherds, and the future." Cordelia was crying now.

"But I don't _care_! You promised me! What would I do if Lucina had gone through and killed you? I'd be...all alone again…" She fell into his arms.

"Cordelia..I was thinking of the greater good. Sometimes..sacrifices have to be made."

"But we don't _know _that yet! We don't _know _for sure that you have to be sacrificed! We'll find a way to finish this without sacrificing _anyone_! That's what we've done so far…" She sniffed loudly.

"I know, Cordelia. I'll do my best. Like you said last night, I wouldn't break a promise to you, and I promise that I'll be there with you at the end of all this." She smiled.

"Really?"

"Really."

"I'm not going to wake up to find you about to be slain by another friend's daughter?"

"...Let's just forget about this for now. Sound good?"

"Haha. Alright then, we'll forget about it. But don't you forget your promise to me…" She trailed off, and tears started welling in her eyes again.

* * *

"Chrom. We don't have time to return to Ylisstol first..we need to figure out where Validar is taking the Emblem, and stop him before he can use it." Amadeus pounded his fist on the table.

They were having a strategy meeting once more. Amadeus had hoped to never have another, but deep down, he knew that this time, this was definitely it. This would be the final war. Once Grima was dealt with once and for all, they could finally rest.

"Yes. Should we send Sumia and Cordelia to scout ahead, then?" Amadeus nodded.

"They should be able to find him soon enough from the air. Then we'll know where to go."

_Validar...damn you! Why do you have such control over me.._

_I need to find a way to fight it! I can't just let him take control again...but how do I fight it? How do I keep him out of my head?_

He wasn't sure that he'd be able to find an answer to that.

* * *

Amadeus paced back and forth impatiently, tapping his feet. Chrom laughed at his tactician's insecurity.

"Don't worry, _Amy_. She'll be back before you know it. I'm sure nothing's happened."

Amadeus looked back at the prince.

"Oh? I'm not the one who's looking skyward every ten seconds, you know."

Chrom held up his hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright, I yield." As if in response, his eyes drifted skywards again. "Look! I think I see them."

Sumia lighted first, and gave Chrom a quick hug before speaking and answering Amadeus' nonverbal question.

"Amadeus, don't worry, Cordelia's right behind me. Her pegasus had to get a drink of water. Anyways, we've found Validar. There's a city to the south of here; it's called Orkul. There's an altar in there...the villagers called it the Dragon's Table. That's where he's headed."

"Then we need to get there."

Amadeus was still scanning the sky, until he finally found Cordelia making her way down. She quickly dismounted and hugged Amadeus.

"Did Sumia tell you? We've found Validar," she said breathlessly. He nodded in response. "We were in the village...the people were all weird. They spoke of an appointed time...where they were to offer their prayers to the Dragon's Table for Grima…and they all seemed to be headed towards the altar in the back of the city."

"This cataclysm has all the markings of Lucina's future…" Chrom kneaded his knuckles against his forehead.

"But we can't give up!" Sumia almost yelped the words.

"And we won't," Chrom said, putting a reassuring arm around his wife. "We'll make for Orkul, and the Dragon's Table, now. How long is the march there, Sumia?"

She thought for a second.

"I'd say about a day's march. We can probably be there by tomorrow."

"Alright then. To Orkul it is."

Chrom went off to alert the camp to the new developments, and Sumia quickly followed, with Cordelia and Amadeus right behind them.

* * *

Night had fallen, and with its onset, the Shepherds decided to break camp. They had made good time; they were on pace to reach Orkul, and the Dragon's Table, by midday the next day. Validar couldn't be too far ahead of them.

Amadeus and Cordelia were resting in their tent. He lay on the cot with her, her head resting on his chest. She had dozed off already, and he stroked her hair absentmindedly. His eyes focused on the ring on her hand; the small pink diamond let off a soft glow in the evening light.

There was a book he'd brought along that he wanted to read, so he carefully extracted one hand from his wife's, and whispered,

"Fire." A small orb of fire formed above his outstretched hand, and he guided it towards the candle on the table, lighting it. He smiled at the light it produced, and grabbed the book from the table to open it.

"Mm..Amy, why's it so bright all of a sudden?" Cordelia's eyes opened slightly, and she mumbled sleepily.

"Oh. Sorry, dear. Should I turn it off?"

She shook her head. "No, it's okay. I wasn't asleep anyways, just...resting." She paused. "How do you command magic so easily, though? You just..say a word, and something happens. It's all so...very weird."

Amadeus laughed.

"Have you ever had any training in magic?"

Cordelia nodded.

"Yes...but I wasn't any good at it. That's why I became a pegasus knight..as far away from magic as possible." She smiled sheepishly. "Also, I'm a terrible runner..but don't tell Severa that. Actually, I'd rather you not tell _anyone _about that."

"Haha, I'll keep that in mind. I could teach you some basic magic, if you want. I do keep the beginner's tomes with me; they're more useful for practical use than battle, like lighting that candle."

She nodded eagerly.

"Yes! Can we try?"

"Of course. We'll use Thunder first; it's the easiest to master." He went to his bag and pulled out a worn, yellow tome.

"So obviously, you want to get the incantation down; it's pretty easy, just the name of the spell, so in this case, 'Thunder'. You need to be holding the tome and, this might sound cheesy, but you need to tap your inner magic. We all have it in us; some just have easier access to it than others, and some have more potent magic in us, which is why some are better with spells."

"Okay..I'll give it a try." She closed her eyes and whispered, "Thunder." Nothing happened. She turned to him, a pout forming on her face. "Why didn't it work?"

He smiled. "It's okay; not everyone can get it the first time." He reached over and put his hand over hers. "Try it again."

"Um..okay." She gave him an odd look, but obeyed. "Thunder." There was a crackling sound, and a small bolt of thunder formed over her hand. Her eyes widened at it. "Look! Amy, it's working!" He took his hand away, and the bolt disappeared.

"Yes. Did you feel the magic flowing? Granted, I gave you a push in the right direction, but did you feel it?"

She nodded.

"Yes..I know what you mean." She closed her eyes. "Can I try again? Give me less of a push this time."

He nodded, and put his hand back on hers, being careful to limit his influence this time. What he hadn't told her was that he'd actually channeled his full magic potential into her the last time.

"Thunder." A crackle, but no bolt. "Gah! Why is this so hard…" She was frustrated, and Amadeus could understand why. Magic wasn't something that was easily picked up, and for someone for whom so many things came so easily, it was probably frustrating to struggle with anything.

_Although..she's only been trying for five minutes. If this is how she defines struggling…_

They went on and on, Amadeus gently guiding her. After an hour or so, she only needed minimal prodding from Amadeus to summon her own little ball of thunder.

"Alright, let's see if you can get it without my help." He stepped back, taking his hand away from hers.

She took a deep breath, before taking out the tome again.

"Thunder." That familiar crackle, and a yellow bolt appeared above her hand. "Amadeus! I did it!" She turned around in joy, forgetting temporarily forgetting that she was holding a thunderbolt in her hand. The bolt flew at Amadues, who jumped to the side as the bolt flew towards him. It burned a hole in the tent flap, but Amadeus' jump had carried him into the walls of the tent of the wall. Amadeus wasn't a large man; he was actually quite scrawny, but he still had enough weight to knock down the pole supporting the tent.

The entire darned thing caved in on the two of them.

The rest of the Shepherds came to see what the ruckus was about, worried of a sudden attack from bandits or Risen. They sighed when they saw the collapsed tent, and heard the two giggling from underneath it.

* * *

The next day, Amadeus and Cordelia woke early and packed. Any hint of playfulness was gone from their faces, as they were from all the Shepherds. They all understood the gravity of the situation; they could not fail now; if they did..it didn't bear thinking about.

Amadeus took his spot at the front of the contingent with Chrom, Cordelia by his side. The two locked eyes, and nodded.

It was time to finish this, for the final time.

The march was quiet. Barely anyone spoke, for few words needed to be said. They would go to this Dragon's Table, and once there, it was clear what they needed to do.

Kill Validar.

Reclaim the Fire Emblem.

Stop Grima's return.

It was all very straightforward, and the march reflected that; the Shepherds marched with purpose, covering ground quickly, and not straying from the path to Orkul.

It wasn't until they reached the gates of the city that Chrom turned and spoke to Amadeus.

"Are you ready?"

The tactician nodded.

"Never more so."

They pushed open the gates, and entered the town.

* * *

**So we see that the Shepherds are back in business, this time for the last time. I'm not planning to have the storyline deviate too much from the game's plot at this point; I actually really liked the ending, so if I do change anything it most likely won't be anything major. **

**Not really much else to say about this chapter; it's more of a transitional chapter to get back to the fighting from the brief respite that the Shepherds have had. There's also confirmation about a lot of the hints of Amadeus' lineage as a vessel of the fell dragon; we'll see how that's significant later. **

**Still have quite a few chapters planned! Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me this far; I hope I haven't disappointed you guys. **

**Flipnhaole: Yes, I agree that it will be interesting to see how that turns out. But we're not there yet, and won't be for a few more chapters!**

**Ace of the 7x: Thanks! I've tried to bring in a bit of Chrom's children, but as of now, they haven't really been a huge part of things. It seems that there's quite the audience that wants to see the children, so maybe I can integrate them in more later. I'll see what I can do! **

**Next chapter, the Shepherds will approach the Dragon's Table and Validar! Will they be in time to stop him? **


	16. Chapter 15

It seemed they weren't the only visitors to the city. The grounds were teeming with people, dressed in the familiar robes of the Grimleal. Amadeus shuddered involuntarily at the sight of them, but none of them seemed to notice the Shepherds. They seemed as if in a trance; they were all walking in rhythm, all towards the same place.

Amadeus leaned closer to try to hear what they were saying.

"The appointed time has come...We will convene at the Dragon's Table..and offer our souls to Grima…"

He shuddered again, as Cordelia unconsciously drew closer to him.

"All these travelers...what could this mean?"

Amadeus had as much of an idea as anyone did; it was most likely the Grimleal seeing the signs that Grima was to return again, but then that was just a guess.

"It's as if they're drawn here by some unseen force...what sorcery is this?" Amadeus shook his head, focusing his thoughts on the task ahead. "It doesn't matter; we will do what we set out to do."

Suddenly, the sky went black. Beams of light shot down from above, lighting the floor, with one central beam of red shooting down in the middle. They seemed to be from behind the city.

"There!" Amadeus pointed towards the light show, knowing that it must be where Validar was. "Shepherds! Let's go, now!"

They hurried through the crowd towards the beams. Once they got through the crowd, they could see the great castle in the city that housed the Dragon's Table. All that lay between them was a large, sandy valley. At the other side, they saw Validar and Aversa, preparing for the ritual. They were so close now.

But there were obstacles in the way. A group of Risen stood between them, and Validar quickly hurried into the castle, whispering a few hushed sentences to Aversa before departing the battlefield.

"Validar!" Chrom yelled across the field. "Wait!"

The Grimleal leader turned.

"Fools! Do you have any idea where you've come?"

"Return the Fire Emblem, and we can end this!"

Validar simply laughed.

"You would..end this? We already know how this story ends! Are you so eager to meet the fell dragon for yourself? Or...perhaps you are eager to meet your destiny here…"

Chrom shook his head as he drew Falchion.

"To hell with your destiny. I'll rewrite my own. We will change our fates!"

It was Aversa's turn to laugh.

"And now you think you can change Fate itself?"

Amadeus nodded to Chrom, who continued.

"It's already been done! It will be done again!"

Aversa was still smiling cruelly at them.

"Are you referring to your defeat of the Mad King? Or, perhaps, the Conqueror? Those themselves were part of Fate's grand design...All of this! Every word, every death, every action...has been carefully planned and orchestrated! Everything that has happened has happened for a reason! We used Gangrel; he held the Exalt in contempt, so he was used to bring about her death! And when Gangrel was defeated...why, the chaos in Plegia drove the Plegians towards Grima. A fresh new batch of Grimleal! Now the fell dragon has souls to feast on aplenty."

"No...you can't…" Chrom staggered as the weight of what Aversa had just said dawned on him.

"We call it the Dragon's Table for a reason, you fool. A table perfect for dining. The Grimleal have gladly offered their bodies to the fell dragon for ages, and that won't change now!"

"No! We won't let that happen!" Amadeus spoke up for the first time, bringing Aversa's attention to him.

"Oh? But it already has happened in our future. This future was set in stone a millennia ago..there is nothing you can do!"

Chrom raised Falchion in fury.

"We will stop you! I will stop you, Aversa! I won't allow you to bring that beast back to life!"

"Aww...you're starting to sound like Walhart, the big bully! He wanted to stop Grima as well, you know. You were actually helping us when you took him out."

Validar turned back towards the castle suddenly, and left.

"VALIDAR!" Chrom yelled across once more, but the man ignored him and disappeared into the mouth of the castle.

"Master Validar is not to be disturbed right now. But don't worry...I've brought the Deadlords to entertain you. And myself, of course..But I warn you! I play rough." She retreated behind her squadron of Risen.

The Deadlords were clearly unlike any Risen they had fought before. Amadeus had read of the twelve generals of legend...and he knew that these were those twelve brought back to life.

The Shepherds quickly fanned out into two groups. In the swirling sands, visibility and mobility were greatly reduced; they would advance cautiously. Amadeus could see that the Deadlords were split into groups of four: one group on each flank, and one group straight ahead of them, with Aversa behind the final group. There were pillars on each side, separating the groups of Deadlords. They would need to get through Aversa if they hoped to get to Validar..and they would have to do it quickly; they didn't have time for everyone to stay in a large group and slowly take out the Deadlords by weight of numbers.

"Alright! We need to split into two groups; one will take each flank, and we'll meet up in the middle and crush the last group and Aversa!" He quickly split them up, making sure to keep a balance of ranged and melee attackers on each side.

_I wish Aster was here...if I could fly, we'd be able to get through this sand so much faster. _

Amadeus lead one group, while Chrom lead the other. They advanced, Chrom to the left, and Amadeus to the right.

The first group of Deadlords awaited Amadeus and his crew. He had with him Cordelia, Stahl, Maribelle, Tharja, Libra, Gaius, and Nowi with him in his group.

The four Deadlords were in a box formation. He could see a general, a war monk, an assassin, and an archer.

_Alright, then. Four of them, eight of us. We'll fight each in pairs. _

"Cordelia! We'll take the monk. Stahl, Maribelle, you guys handle the archer; Tharja, Libra, the general, and Gaius, Nowi, you guys can take down the assassin." They all nodded and charged towards their targets.

He saw Nowi transform into her dragon form and shoot her blue fire at the Risen…

_Who leapt to the side and dodged the fire? _

_Since when did the Risen dodge attacks? _

_Are the enemies getting smarter? _

Gaius had gone around while the Risen was focused on Nowi, and quickly slashed at the Risen, who parried the blow easily.

_Blast. They are getting smarter. _

This was going to be a tougher battle than he'd expected.

Stahl charged the archer, his horse covering the ground incredibly quickly. He dodged the incoming arrows, but one found its mark, burying itself deep into Stahl's shoulder.

"Stahl! NO!" Amadeus yelled out, but the green-clad cavalier still charged on, striking the Risen across the chest with his sword just as Maribelle's ball of fire ignited its body.

The horse stopped, and the cavalier slid off it, his body limp.

"NO!" Maribelle ran over, any sense of dignity forgotten, as she took out her staff and tended to Stahl while crying over him.

Amadeus gritted his teeth; he was worried for his friend, but there was still business to attend to. He wiped away a tear and turned to face his target.

He turned to face his own target.

"Cordelia. Let's finish this." She nodded and kicked her pegasus up into the air, as he drew his lance. He knew that the war monk wielded an axe, but it would be virtually untouched by any magic; he would just have to hope that his skills with the lance far outweighed the Risen's skill with the axe. He advanced. The axe swung, and he dodged the blow, bringing the handle crashing into the Risen's skull. No reaction. These things felt no pain...the only way to stop them was to kill them outright. The axe was flying towards him again, and he had to jump back and suck in his stomach to prevent himself from having his guts cut out of his body.

_Yup. This is going to be a lot harder than I expected. _

He quickly regained his composure, but the Risen kept coming. Its axe hewed and whirled, and it was taking everything Amadeus had to dodge the blows. Cordelia would try to advance, or toss her javelin from above, but the Risen would either parry the projectile, or keep her away with another flurry of axe strikes. Amadeus and Cordelia were both wary of getting too close; they knew that they couldn't risk dying here, not when they were so close to the end.

Suddenly, the ground gave way under Amadeus' feet; he slipped on loose sand, losing hold of his lance, which skittered away to his right side, out of reach. The Deadlord, seeing an opening, leapt into the air for the finishing blow; Amadeus rolled to the right and, in one fluid motion, dodged the blow, grabbed the lance, and impaled the Risen through the side. The head turned to face him, and let out a loud roar.

"GRAAAGH!"

_Okay..still not dead._

The Risen's axe was stuck in the ground, however; it had brought it down with such great force that it had embedded itself into the earth. It struggled to lift it, and Amadeus raised his lance for the finishing blow-

Just in time to see a familiar javelin fly through the air and into the Risen's head. It let out a gasp, before dissolving into purple smoke.

Amadeus leaned on his staff, panting as Cordelia lighted next to him.

"Goodness...what manner of Risen are these?" He suddenly remembered Stahl. "Stahl! Oh gods, no…" He hurried over to where his friend still lay. He saw Nowi being carried on Gaius' back, and Gaius himself had a nasty gash on his arm; Nowi appeared to be unconscious.

Stahl was still breathing, but his armor was covered in his blood. Maribelle answered the question in Amadeus' eyes.

"He'll be okay. He just..lost a lot of blood." She was clearly stricken, but relieved that he would be okay. "Go! You must finish what we came here for."

"Gaius? You alright?" Amadeus looked up at the thief.

"Bubbles. Yea..but Nowi here..she's a little banged up. I'm gonna have to make sure she's okay." Amadeus nodded. "Bubbles...what kind of Risen were those? They were...more skilled than anything we've ever fought."

Amadeus shook his head.

"Judging from what Aversa said, they're the Deadlords; twelve generals from the past, who were terrifying in life, and are even more so in death."

Gaius just shook his head, and gently laid Nowi on the floor. Amadeus looked around the group, noticing two missing.

"Has anyone seen Libra and Tharja?" He stopped himself from thinking the worst.

"Yea. I saw 'em; they should be here in a bit." Just as Gaius finished speaking, the two came out of the sand.

They looked a bit rattled, but no serious signs of damage could be seen. Tharja was leaning on Libra, who was supporting her with his shoulder. He quickly ran his staff over her to heal up any small wounds, and then did the same to himself.

"Gods! What manner of Risen were those…" Libra exclaimed to no one in particular.

"Tharja! Libra! Let's go; we need to meet up with Chrom and the others!" Amadeus turned to the four who were staying.

"Maribelle; when you're done, lead them to the front; we'll be there, and hopefully we can finish this by the time you're done here." She nodded, and quickly waved them off.

They made their way back around the pillars to where the final group of Deadlords awaited them.

"Chrom! There you are. Let's finish this!" Amadeus managed to see the prince through the sand, and they quickly regrouped.

Chrom's contingent had struggled with the Deadlords as well; not all of them had accompanied him to this point. Like Maribelle, Stahl, Gaius, and Nowi, more than a couple had to stay behind to tend to their wounds.

"Let's finish this last group, then. Then Aversa. Then Validar." Amadeus nodded. He hadn't seen Chrom with a fire in his eyes like this since when they had fought Gangrel after Emmeryn's death.

Amadeus, Cordelia, Sumia, and Chrom took the front lines, with the rest of the Shepherds behind. There were four more Deadlords: a swordmaster, two mages, and another war monk. Amadeus drew his lance once more, and advanced on the swordmaster; with his lance, he could outreach the Deadlord's sword, giving him an advantage. He advanced, and the final battle was on.

This time, it was much more straightforward. For once, the Shepherds had a massive advantage in numbers, and they utilized it as best they could. Amadeus and Chrom charged the swordmaster, who barely stood a chance against the two legendary blades. It dissolved in purple smoke almost instantly. They then split to help out the others; Amadeus quickly hurried to Cordelia's side to help her dispatch one of the mages. He managed to get his lance into the thing's stomach, and scanned the battlefield before he saw the thing turn into the purple smoke that followed when a Risen died. He saw across the battlefield Libra burying his axe into the face of the second mage, while Tharja supported him from behind, still aching from her wounds and with a pained expression on her face.

Amadeus saw Sumia nimbly dodging the war monk's strikes, trying to find an opening, before the handle of the axe crashed into her head. She fell back, dizzy, but Chrom found her just at this moment and engaged the monk.

He turned to help Chrom, and they quickly dispatched the last of the Deadlords into a cloud of purple smoke.

"Aversa!" Chrom yelled at the mage, who had hidden behind the Deadlords the entire battle. "Amadeus. Let's get her."

Amadeus ran towards the mage, leaving Chrom behind.

"Aww...you killed my playthings! Now I'll just have to kill the both of you...Master Validar must not be disturbed!" She drew her own dark tome as they neared her.

"Aversa..I'll never understand minions like you. You have no life of your own! You live only to serve the beck and call of your master..you're pathetic." Amadeus drew his lance as he said this.

"That's odd..I would say the same for you, and the prince. We play the roles we're given, little one..as you'll soon find out." She smiled mischieviously at the tactician.

"W-what? Never mind. I'll be happy to end your role in this play...right now!" He charged with his lance pointed at her. She deftly jumped to the side, giggling.

"Aww..you're such a cutie when you try to be clever. But I can't kill you now...I must wait for you to ripen."

"Ripen?" Amadeus repeated.

_What madness is she talking about? _

_Unless...no! Gods, no. She can't know about that. _

"Shh, little one. Don't worry your head about it. Now, battle me!" She drew her tome, and a jet of purple flew towards Amadeus.

He ducked into a forward roll, and leapt out of it while thrusting his lance, which she dodged once again, all while giggling like a little girl.

"Amadeus! Wait for me." Chrom had caught up. "We do this. Together."

Amadeus nodded, and they advanced once again on the mage. She shot her purple bolts of darkness, but couldn't hit either of them as they dodged, ducked, dipped, dove, and dodged again. Chrom leapt out of one of his rolls, suddenly bringing Falchion towards Aversa.

She was expecting it; she leapt back, dodging the move again, causing Chrom to overbalance and fall flat on the ground.

"Really now...little prince, I thought you were better than that! You've tried that so many times...won't you ever learn?"

Chrom smiled.

"Actually, I do." A bolt of lightning suddenly shot from nowhere and buried itself into Aversa's chest, knocking her back onto the steps into the castle.

Amadeus had taken advantage of the sand limiting everyone's vision; he had dropped back in the chaos of all the dodging they had to do, and waited for just the right moment to shoot his thunderbolt.

_Luckily...I hit the right person. _

_But Chrom doesn't need to know it was a blind shot._

"Ooh..you do..play rough…" Aversa moaned from the floor as Amadeus offered Chrom a hand up. "But the ritual has already begun! You are too late to stop it now..Grima..will..return," she yelled as she ran into the castle.

"Damn! We can't catch her.." Chrom had made to give chase, but Amadeus cautioned him.

"There may be a trap in the castle..we'd best proceed with caution." Chrom nodded.

Suddenly, Amadeus heard someone yelling his name.

"AMADEUS! GET DOWN!"

_Cordelia? _

He turned towards the direction of the voice, just in time to see a ball of green magic shooting towards him.

_What? But I killed that Risen! _

_But I never checked to see the purple smoke…._

There was no time to react.

He closed his eyes and braced for the impact, but it never came. He opened his eyes, and found feathers floating in the air, and a pegasus lying on the floor, injured.

He looked around furiously, seeing the Shepherds quickly dispatching the said Risen. But then he saw what he dreaded most.

A familiar figure was arcing through the air, as if in slow motion..and her brilliant red locks fanned out in the sky.

"NO! Cordelia!" He ran to where she was going to land, using his body to break her fall. He quickly got up and ran his eyes over the love of his life.

Her eyes were closed.

"No..NO! NO! Cordelia...stay with me!" He shook her, and her eyes fluttered open.

"A..Amy…" she managed to gasp out. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"C-Cordelia...why did you do that?" She smiled as he hugged her tightly.

"Couldn't...let you...get hurt…" she whispered, and closed her eyes again.

"Cordelia..no! Stay with me! Please…" He turned to the Shepherds, who were watching somberly. "HEALER! I NEED A HEALER!" Libra hurried over. "Libra...please..tell me she's going to be okay."

The priest closed his eyes as he held his staff over Cordelia. He'd seen him do this before; the priest was assessing the damage, and whether it would be fatal or not.

"Yes..she's taken some serious damage. But..we should be able to patch her up just fine. It was good that you managed to break her fall...otherwise..."

Amadeus breathed a sigh of relief as he moved to give Libra unfettered access to his fiance.

"Amy...you need to go...finish what we started…" Her eyes opened again, and she grasped his hand. "Remember...your promise to me..okay?" She pointed at the purple mark on the hand she held. "You..aren't...that. You're much more…"

Tears welled in his eyes as he remembered how she'd made him promise not to become the monster that he feared he would.

"O-of course. Cordelia…" Sobs choked him up. He just wanted to stay here, to make sure that she was going to be okay.

"Don't..worry...about me. Libra said I'd be fine….go. Finish Validar…" It was as if she was reading his thoughts. But then, she'd always understood him; he was an open book to her.

"B-but.." She slowly raised a finger to his lips to shush him.

"I...love you, Amadeus."

He smiled despite himself, and despite the situation.

"Forever and ever, honey." He kissed her gently on her lips, and gently lowered her head, noticing that the wing clips he'd bought her were in her hair.

She smiled one last time, and then thankfully passed out.

Amadeus stared at her for a second, making sure that she was still breathing. After seeing her chest rise and fall, he nodded his thanks to Libra, who was running his staff over Cordelia's body and chanting his healing spells, and moved to the castle steps to meet with Chrom.

He could feel his blood burning. He'd never felt rage like this before…

"Chrom. Let's finish this."

Chrom turned to address the Shepherds.

"Shepherds! Those of you who are wounded..you may stay. Otherwise, come with us to-" Amadeus cut him off.

"No. We are going to end this. You and me." There was a determination in his voice that he didn't know he had. "Validar is going to pay for what he did to Cordelia...I swear it. He is not leaving this castle alive."

Chrom nodded slowly, looking out at the Shepherds tending their wounds. Almost no one was unscathed, and the ones they'd left behind initially were just catching up to the larger group.

Nowi was being heavily bandaged by Lissa.

Stahl's arm was in a sling.

Gaius was limping.

Cordelia was still passed out.

All over, Shepherds were hurting. Amadeus couldn't risk their lives any more than he already had...and he wanted revenge.

The two turned into the castle.

"Aversa wouldn't leave until everything was ready, even with her wounds." Amadeus quickly said as they entered. "His preparations must be complete...we need to hurry." He tried hard to suppress the red that seemed to be threatening to take over his vision, and ran deeper, towards the altar within.

Amadeus moved as though in a daze. His mind was going back to all the moments he'd had with Cordelia..and how they'd so nearly been taken away, just because he hadn't made sure that that cursed Risen was dead.

_Her body pressing against his...her lips against his. _

_The little wyvern doll sitting in his room in the castle._

_That time when she'd taught him to dance. _

_The way she'd confessed her feelings to him. _

_How could I have doubted her? How did that make her feel...she was so obviously in love with me..and yet I just wouldn't believe her. I had no reason to doubt her..but I let myself do it anyways…_

_Cordelia..I'm so sorry. You deserve better...I will be better for you. I promise you now. _

_But first..I will have vengeance for you. _

He snapped out of his thoughts. They had reached a great hall, the ceiling being so high that he couldn't even make out the designs on top. The walls were adorned with paintings depicting the fell dragon. There were no windows; the room was kept in a state of semi darkness, with only a candle at each corner lighting the room. At the other end was a large door. Amadeus knew what must be behind the door, and he gripped his lance ever more tightly.

Validar was waiting for them.

* * *

**This chapter was a LOT shorter, and I find battle scenes much easier to write, so this updates really quick! I also had a lot of spare time today; not sure why, but it just happened that way. **

**Anyways, I realized, looking back, that most of the battles have been straightforward; other than Walhart and Gangrel, the Shepherds really haven't been challenged at all, and even in those two battles, it was only Gangrel and Walhart themselves who were actually a challenge. So I decided to take advantage of the fact that they were fighting the Deadlords to introduce some adversity. This is really the first time we see the Shepherds taking any serious hits; Stahl and Nowi are both knocked out, and even Cordelia is almost killed. I did seriously consider having one of the Shepherds killed, but my inner conscience wouldn't let me do it (I also didn't want to do it to the poor soul who's significant other was killed). But yea; I feel like it's good to establish that the Shepherds are soldiers just like any other, and that they could succumb to death at any time. Maybe this chapter was more of a reminder, more to myself, that at any given moment, one of these characters could die. **

**Cordelia putting herself in danger for Amadeus was something that I wanted to introduce at some point. I think it's really the one thing that's finally going to, in a sense, smack Amadeus in the face and tell him, HEY, this amazing girl really likes you, and she's not still into the guy from before, so can you appreciate it please? So hopefully, he'll finally realize that Cordelia's sorted her feelings out for long enough to know that he, and not Chrom, is the one that she is in love with. Of course, Severa will try her best to sow seeds of doubt in her father's mind, but we'll see how that plays out; however, I can't see that affecting Amadeus _too _much anymore. **

**This chapter is also shorter because I wanted to place emphasis on the battle; think of this battle as a real struggle. The Shepherds barely got out of this one alive. Stahl's got an arrow in his shoulder, I'm going to leave what happened to Nowi to your imagination, but it's going to take a lot to knock out a dragon; and then Cordelia is out for the remained of this battle as well. So, see this battle as the first real struggle that the Shepherds have had to go through; is it going to make them doubt their abilities when it comes time for the final battle? I don't know; we'll see. **

**Anyways enjoy! **

**Jozern: Thanks again for the compliments! Hope you enjoyed this battle. **


	17. Chapter 16

They stood still. The door was right in front of them, but Amadeus had to tell Chrom something.

"Chrom…"

"Amadeus. Are you ready? This will be it…"

Amadeus shook his head.

"I'll always be ready. But..before we go in, I need you to promise me something." He looked Chrom in the eye; he needed to let Chrom know he was deadly serious about this.  
"As long as it's not leaving you behind." Chrom shook his head at his tactician's stubbornness. "I've already told you what I think about that, and it's not happening."

"I know...although I did consider it. If I'm not physically there, I can't hurt you. But..I know it's true that I'm needed with the Shepherds. But I also know that I can't keep running from Validar-"

"But you won't _have _to! Once he is dead, you won't have to run from anyone anymore!"

"Chrom, let me finish. I know that; and I also know that the best chance I have of overcoming his control over me is surrounded by you, Cordelia, and the rest of the Shepherds. But, therein lies the promise I need you to keep." Amadeus took a deep breath.

"If..if Validar does start to gain control, even a little bit..I need you to promise to cut me down before he can use me."

"W-what? No!" It was Chrom's turn to shake his head. "You can't mean that! You promised you'd fight him, Amadeus."

"And I will. To the best of my ability, for everyone's sake. You know I will. But..there are too many others involved. Those others are your responsibility, Chrom, and I would not risk their well-being. So, Chrom. I need you to promise me."

Chrom seethed, but he could see the truth in his tactician's reasoning. As usual, Amadeus was right.

"But...alright. You're right, as usual. You know this isn't what I want...but I promise you that I will cut you down before you turn." Chrom looked away, and Amadeus thought he saw a tear forcefully blinked back before the face turned.

"Thank you, Chrom."

_That's funny. I remember the first thing I said to Chrom were those three exact words. I owe so much to this man...it's only fitting that I met him thanking him, and that now I will leave him with my gratitude. I can only hope he understands just how much he has done for me.._

The two paused for a second, and pushed open the great door.

The room they stepped in was elaborately furnished, befitting the temple of a god. There was a golden altar, with steps leading up to another gold table, and behind it all was a golden figure of a dragon, its wings spread around the table. The floor itself was made of concentric rings in alternating colors; green, yellow, purple, yellow, red, yellow, and on. And in front of the altar stood-

"Validar." Chrom said, softly.

"Oh ho! Come to witness the denouement? This room...will show you the end of this play! This is where we fulfill our ultimate roles in the rebirth of Grima..and the end of mankind!" He gestured at the golden altar behind him, and the bronze shield on his arm. "The Dragon's Table is set with a feast for the fell dragon...and I have the Fire Emblem! There is nothing you can do to stop me now! Grima..will return!"

"You'll destroy the world! Lucina has seen the future!" Chrom was trying to reason with him.

_I don't think right now is the best time for diplomacy, Chrom…_

"Silly prince. That is the point! If what your daughter says is true...then I hope that this timeline will live up to the destruction in hers, or perhaps surpass it!" Validar let out a cackling, mad laugh.

"You're mad…" Amadeus couldn't say much else.

"The Awakening ritual is not only for the Exalts and Naga; it can be used to resurrect Grima as well! All it needs is a mortal vessel...which you have so kindly brought to the altar!" He pointed a long, bony finger at Amadeus.

"You need..me." He knew where this was going.

"Yes...that's my boy!" Validar was almost giggling with excitement.

"No..I'd die before I become a vessel for that..thing!"

"My boy...you carry my blood...the blood of the fell dragon, in your veins! His soul slumbers in your very being!"

"W-what? _I'm _the _fell dragon?_" Amadeus had mentioned it was a possibility...but that was the worst case scenario. He'd that that, at worst, the blood in him made him at least permanently somewhat Grimleal.

"The Grimleal..have worked for _generations_ to make someone like you! A vessel, worthy of Grima! It is not enough just to have the blood of the fell dragon, else I would have become the vessel, or my father before me. I was not worthy, nor was he, nor was his father. But you...you were perfection! When you came out of your mother's womb...we knew, right away. You were the one upon whom Grima could bestow his most sacred gift."

Validar scratched at his chin.

"But then your damnable mother...she protested. I never thought she would steal you away...but she did. She was seized by weakness, and fear. And then you returned, finally, after all those years. That is the proof of your purpose! Your very existence has been for this one moment!

Chrom interrupted.

"The only thing we've proved is that you're mad! We will stop you, Validar!" He drew Falchion.

"Ha ha ha...you may have killed me before, but now, the power of the Dragon's Table flows through me! I cannot be stopped..not by mere mortals."

"Ngh!" Validar was in Amadeus head again, all of a sudden. He grabbed the sides of his head, and fell to his knees.

_Come...you would turn down godhood, for this pathetic band of warriors? _

_Y-_

_You will rule the world! The universe will be at your beck and call…_

_No…._

"Come on, Amadeus! Fight him! Fight him like you promised me you would!"

_That voice...Chrom? _

_NO! Ignore him...he is swaying you to be a lesser being! He is swaying you from your purpose...from the script that fate has prepared for you!  
_"You are not beholden to this fiend! You can fight him! I know it, Amadues! Fight him with everything you have!"

_I know...I know what I have to do now. _

Amadeus got back to his feet.

Validar was laughing.

"What an eloquent poem, my prince. But eloquence won't change history...now come, Amadeus! Come with me to accept your birthright!"

"They're more than just words!" Amadeus yelled back, now fully in control again.

"What…" Validar hadn't expected this.

"My life did not begin with you, Validar. It began the day that Chrom found me in the field..the day I enlisted in the Shepherds. I have changed the world, and fate - for the better! And I will do it again." He drew his tome. "I have laughed, fought, bled, and loved with my friends, and that defines my being! Not the blood flowing in my veins, or my lineage."

"Hmph. Are you done now? I see the prince's poetry has rubbed off on you."

"My ties with the Shepherds...they are stronger than any power Grima has! And I will prove it to you. This _is _the moment that I've been preparing my life for, Validar, except it's not for what you think. Today, I _will _kill you."

Another mad cackle.

"You have your father's courage, but your mother's judgment, you fool.." Validar drew his dark tome. "Come at me, then! Come at me with everything you have. There is no damage I can do to your body that the fell dragon cannot repair!"

Chrom charged. The sword came bearing down on Validar…

But a purple force pushed the blow to the side. Chrom kept attacking with a fury, not holding back; both knew that this was it. There was no point in conserving energy now...kill Validar, and it was all over. They could rest all they wanted.

Amadeus fired his bolts of electricity, but Validar was moving with an agility that must have been given through the Dragon's Table; he jumped from spot to spot, never stopping for more than what seemed like a tenth of a second.

And he could block Falchion with his bare hands. He seemed to be imbued with some dark energy, surrounding himself in a cloud of purple smoke. Chrom struck with all his might, but couldn't penetrate the thick shield. Even when Amadeus' spells hit, they seemed to just bounce off.

_How do we kill him when we can't even touch him? _

Suddenly, Validar turned into a ball of pulsating blue electricity. It charged at Chrom, too fast for him to dodge. The brick on the floor was torn up, and the smoke cleared to reveal Chrom, choking and struggling to get up. Seeing his chance, Validar, now back to his human form, revved up a giant ball of purple energy and directed it straight at Chrom.

"No! Thoron!" Amadeus channeled his magic so that the bolt of electricity instead became a constant stream, sloughing away the purple ball. He saw in the corner of his eye that Chrom was getting up.

_Thank goodness. _

Keeping his eyes on Validar, he panted for breath as he readied another bolt of crackling energy. However, he noticed that Validar's purple veil was gone.

_Did he channel all that into finishing Chrom? _

Shaking the thought off his head, he continued his flurry, buying Chrom time to recover. Yellow spheres crashed into purple globes, disintegrating immediately on contact, neither making any contact.

Both reared back, channeling all their magical energy into one strike.

A beam of purple shot from Validar's hand, meeting the thunderbeam from Amadeus' hand.

"You could be a god, Amadeus! Why do you still reject the fell dragon?"

"All he seeks is destruction! To end the world as we know it! What future would we have then? The Shepherds have shown me just how important our bonds between each other are...I won't be the one breaking them!" Still the two rays met in the middle, neither able to push back the other.

"Chrom! Go!" He'd seen that Chrom was up, and saw him leap in the air, Falchion raised. Validar turned in time to see the legendary blade, before it flashed and cut through his stomach.

He staggered, falling backwards in a cloud of glittering purple.

"This...isn't...over!" Another purple energy sphere flew through the air, straight at Chrom. Amadeus reached out a hand, pushing Chrom away.

"Thanks...you all right? That's the end of him.." Chrom looked at the corpse, which was..gone? All that remained was that wispy purple smoke.

"Yea..I'm alright." The purple smoke suddenly reared and threw itself at Amadeus; he felt it enter his stomach, and suddenly, his body went cold.

_Kill the spare...do it, now! _

He felt a jagged thunderbolt form in his hand, and he felt it thrust towards Chrom, embedding itself in his side.

"N-no!" He grabbed at his hand.

"This..isn't..your fault…" He collapsed onto the floor, motionless.

A sinister laugh echoed in his head.

He turned, and standing in front of him was….Validar.

"Ha ha ha...now, with the Fire Emblem, and the Gemstones, my power knows no bounds!" Validar cackled once again.

"NO! FATHER!" Lucina crumpled to the ground at the sight of her father lying still on the floor.

"Do you see, Amadeus? Human bonds...are like leaves in the wind. They will scatter, and leave you with nothing...everything you has established is gone! The leaves that are your bonds are scattered…"

"No...we were supposed to change this!" Lucina was still kneeling on the floor. "Everything we've done...has been for naught…" She shook her head as tears began to form in her eyes.

"No, it wasn't." Heads turned, and Cordelia strode into the hall, Sumia in tow.

"Amadeus beat your so-called fate with his plan."

"What? No...I have defeated your leader! And I have taken control of Amadeus, just as destiny has predicted!" Validar yelled out madly. "Chrom is dead! Who will lead you now-" He was rudely interrupted by a beam of familiar thunder that threw him across the room.

"W-what...no!" His eyes widened in shock and fear as he saw Amadeus' outstretched hand, tinged with electricity. "But Chrom is...dead..?" The body on the floor suddenly stirred, and slowly got up.

"FATHER! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Lucina jumped up with newfound strength, but resisted hugging her father. Instead, she bound to his side to support him.

"Yes...Amadeus...weakened his magic...just before he struck me…" He grunted in pain before letting out a weak grin. "Still hurts a lot, though."

"But...how?" Validar was still reeling from the failure of his plan.

Amadeus spoke for the first time.

"In my dreams...I saw this very scenario play out. So we acted it out as closely as possible; simple, really. You knew what was going to happen as well. If we were convincing enough...then you'd believe what you saw, and not what really happened."

Amadeus turned to Chrom, and the two nodded.

"Let's finish this, Amadeus."

"Amadeus...my son…" Dark, beady eyes stared into his, but found no mercy.

"Thoron."

Validar collapsed, dead, for the final time.

Cordelia leapt to Amadeus for a tight hug, and Sumia did the same with Chrom and Lucina.

"Amy...we did it! We've altered destiny..Grima won't reawaken!" Amadeus nodded as he picked up the Fire Emblem and handed it back to Chrom.

"Yes, Cordelia..we've...we've won!" He finally allowed the beginnings of a smile to form on his face; he couldn't believe it.

It was over.

Suddenly there was a flash of orange light.

_Wait..I've seen this before, when Validar teleported…_

They all turned and gasped at what they saw.

A figure, shrouded in black, stepped out from the shadow. It was the hierophant.

"You!" Amadeus raised his tome, ready to strike again.

"Heh heh heh...you may have altered the course of destiny, but not the destination. Time always favors its original course, haven't you learned?" The hierophant laughed.

_My laugh…_

"What do you mean…" Any euphoria from defeating Validar was gone.

"It is still fate that Chrom was killed here at your hands...But what is the difference between me and you?"

"Who _are _you?" Amadeus was trying to stall for time.

The hierophant sighed as he flashed his robe to show his own tome.

"I forget how daft I can be at time...I told you already. I am Amadeus. I am the version of Amadeus that murdered you, Chrom, and became the fell dragon. I came back through the portal with Lucina…I am you, Amadeus. Except having made a few different choices. Those dreams you had. Those were my memories."

"What? Then...you..you killed the Shepherd! You killed Chrom! You abandoned your family...you killed your own wife! And your daughters!"

The hierophant laughed.

"Yes. They were pitiful creatures...clinging on to life as they died. They thought they could defeat me with their silly human bonds...I relished killing them more than any of the others, I can tell you that. We share these memories because we share the same heart..Grima's heart. Have you ever wondered why you woke up with no memory?"

Amadeus nodded slowly.

"Yes…"

"I intended to unite us the instant I got to this world..but your soul was too weak. The shock of my attempt completely wiped your memory."

"No...so if you had united us.."

"Then, yes. You would have chosen godhood over this pathetic band of mercenaries."

"But you failed! That is proof that we've won…" Amadeus' voice wavered. He was grasping at straws now.

"No. Even if you won't accept the sacrifice that awaits you...I will take it in your place!"

The room suddenly grew dark, and red shards floated around the hierophant.

"The fell dragon and I are one!" The room shook; Amadeus quickly turned and grabbed Cordelia to run, as Chrom and his family followed.

They sprinted out as quickly as they could. The walls shook and crumbled, and they had to avoid falling debris on their way out.

When they cleared the door, they saw the rest of the Shepherds waiting outside.

"Run! NOW!" Without hesitation, the unit made their way away from the temple. Just when they made it out of the gates of the city, there was a violent tremor, knocking them all off their feet.

"Cordelia! Are you okay?" He quickly scrambled over to her and she nodded.

They looked back through the gates into the city. Any daylight had been wiped out; the sky had become a continuous canvas of black. From the temple, there was a purple glow.

Another tremor. The temple shook, and a gigantic purple beam shot from its tip towards the clouds. When it met the sky, it exploded into a giant pulse. Purple lightning rained down, and Amadeus jumped over Cordelia, protecting her with his body.

When the lightning finally ceased, the Shepherds looked up, back towards the tower.

A giant head towered above them. It had three crimson red eyes on each side of its head, for a total of six. Its great mouth opened, revealing hundreds upon hundreds of serrated, jagged teeth. Out of the sides of its head unfurled two enormous, curling tusks, each with a sharp, pointed edge. The head itself was the size of the temple that it had emerged from. Its four great wings beat the air around it, lifting it into the air. The sheer size of the thing was massive; it was larger than Orkul itself. The dragon descended with a roar, destroying the entire city in its landing.

Purple lightning rained down around it.

"Grima...oh gods, no." Lucina whispered as she watched the rebirth of the fell dragon. "That's the demon who destroyed my world…"

Even Chrom couldn't believe his eyes.

"For once, the legends are true...there's no way we can face this thing. It would devour us all. We need to get out of here and complete the Awakening!"

* * *

After a long march back to Ylisstol, they decided to spend the night there. Amadeus had called Tiki to the meeting between him and Chrom.

"Lady Tiki...the Awakening must be performed at the place where the divine dragon's magic is strongest. Legend tells of where the first Exalt performed the rite when he banished the fell dragon...do you have any idea where that shrine is?" Amadeus tried to ask as politely as possible, but he hoped the urgency in his tone got through to the sometimes-dreary manakete.

"Yes..not far from here lies a mountain, known as Mt. Prism. Should you ascend to the top...there you will find the altar, where the Awakening can be performed. But be warned; you must withstand Naga's fire."

Amadeus made to speak before Chrom interrupted him.

"Thank you, Lady Tiki." She nodded in response and left the room. "Don't worry, Amadeus. I will withstand Naga's fire; I'm sure of it. Get a good night's rest...Grima must know about Mt. Prism; that means we can expect Risen there. It won't be easy."

"Of course. But we will pull through."

"Yes. Any hope is better than no hope at all…"

* * *

He returned to his room, exhausted.

"Amy! You look exhausted!" Cordelia put down the book she had been reading to greet him.

_Well. I guess it shows._

"Yea..I know. It's been a long day...where are the girls?" He wanted to spend the night with them; he hadn't seen them since they'd left for Orkul, and he missed them.

"They'll be here in a bit. But first...do you think we should tell them?" Amadeus raised an eyebrow. "About..you know. The hierophant...that he was the one who caused the destruction?" Amadeus shook his head.

"No..they can't know. What if they turn on me? What if they hate me because I took away everything that made them happy in the-"

There was a loud crash as something fell out of the wardrobe.

_No, not something...someone? _

"Severa!" Cordelia rushed over to help her daughter up. "What were you doing?" But the girl's eyes were wide in shock, and she didn't immediately answer her mother.

"Dad...was the one who killed everyone?" Her mouth was wide open. Amadeus quickly met Cordelia's eyes.

"In your future...but there's a long explanation for that. And it won't happen this time, for-"

"He killed..you?" Severa didn't seem to be taking in anything that Cordelia was saying.

"Honey-" Before Cordelia could get any further, Severa ran out of the room. She chased after the girl. "Severa! You get back here!" Their voices echoed in the hall.

Amadeus staggered back and cradled his head in his hands, tears springing to his eyes.

_She..she doesn't love me anymore. _

_And why should she? I killed her mother..I killed everyone close to her. I turned traitor…_

There was another soft creaking as another person came out of hiding, this time from under the bed.

"F-father?" He looked at the person who had rolled out from under the bed.

"Morgan.." He managed to gasp between sobs. "Do you...do you hate me too?"

Morgan shook her head and moved to sit next to her father.

"Of course not! I know you're different from the father that Severa knew...I know that you're not going to turn traitor! You've already gotten farther than the father that Severa knew did..you rejected the fell dragon, didn't you?" He felt her small hands wrap around him and he smiled as he stroked her hair.

"Morgan...thank you. But how can I explain to Severa…"

"Once she gets over the initial shock, she'll understand. I'm sure of it! And then we'll all find a way to get rid of Grima once and for all."

Amadeus couldn't help but smile at his younger daughter's optimism.

"I hope you're right, dear."

* * *

Cordelia finally managed to drag Severa back to their room, and they explained everything to her. They explained how Amadeus was Validar's son, and how he was supposed to become the fell dragon. They explained how in her timeline, he had been overpowered by Validar; they reasoned with her that it wasn't _really _the Amades that was her father that had killed everyone; it was really just Amadeus' body being controlled by Validar and, in turn, Grima.

"You see, Severa? As long as I'm still in control, nothing bad will happen, and we'll defeat Grima." Amadeus wished it was as easy as he said, but for his daughter's sake, he knew he had to pretend.

"So...you won't become the bad dragon and kill everyone?" Severa said through tears.

"No, Severa. I promise you I won't." He put an arm around her, and she reluctantly scooted closer to him.

"Promise promise?" He nodded and smiled.

"I promise that I'll keep my promise about not becoming the fell dragon. Alright?" This seemed to finally satisfy Severa, who laid her head on her father's lap.

"Well..okay..only if you promise."

Cordelia smiled as she watched, their family finally on the same page again. They settled onto the bed. It was built for two people, but they decided to sleep together as a family this time, Amadeus and Cordelia on the outside cradling their two children.

"Mother...Father...I love you both." Morgan whispered drowsily.

"We love you too, Morgan. And you, Severa." The two parents whispered back.

"Hmph. So corny. But..I love you all too."

The family huddled together, and soon were all asleep.

* * *

Mount Prism wasn't a long march away. The Shepherds left early and were there by midday. Normally, they would take a break, but the situation called for them to plow on as quickly as possible. It was a long climb up. He flew up on Aster with Cordelia to scout out the area. It looked quite deserted, so they landed at a plateau just short of the peak where the altar lay to wait for the others.

Sitting there near the altar of Naga, Amadeus could notice a palpable change in the environment. He couldn't quite put his finger on it.

_Everything feels...cleaner. As if the very air here is..purified. We're definitely at the right place. _

"It's..beautiful." Cordelia whispered into his ear. He nodded. The grass itself seemed to greener than any Amadeus had ever seen, the sky was blue, and he couldn't find a single cloud in the sky. There was even a small waterfall, flowing down a crevice in the center of the mountain. The water was so clear that Amadeus wasn't even sure it was there.

It even seemed that the divine dragon's influence made the view better. Looking out, he couldn't see any signs of Grima's destruction. It was almost as if they were in a separate world from the one below them.

"It really is. We should come here after the war." She turned, an excited expression on her face.

"Honeymoon?" He returned the smile.

"Of course, Cordelia."

"I'll hold you to it." She squeezed his hand, and he nodded again.

"Do I need to make a double promise to you too?" He grinned at her.

"Well..it would help." She giggled lightly.

"Sorry to interrupt this fascinating conversation...but something doesn't feel right." Chrom interrupted him, and Amadeus jumped. The rest of the Shepherds had caught up.

"Hm? What do you-" A loud moaning interrupted Amadeus.

"Rgh….grah.."

_That's familiar. _

He sighed.

"We'll have to prepare for battle, then. They're almost on us..I can sense Risen. Grima's servants..he must know about the Awakening ritual." He reached for his lance.

The Risen finally scaled the plateau that the Shepherds were on. It was a large, flat, grassy plain, with the Risen on one side and the Shepherds on the other.

With the sound of the waterfall crashing behind them, the Shepherds charged. The fight itself wasn't difficult; they had plenty of experience with fighting Risen.

_Thrust. Parry high. Thrust again. _

He was in a small group with his family, and they were obliterating Risen. Morgan shot her magic, Cordelia and he kept the Risen from closing in with their lances, and Severa would whirl and hack away with her curved sword.

Panting, he caught sight of the chief. He could always identify the chief; their faces were a little different. It seemed as if the were wearing a mask of some sort. They also seemed to have long, windswept hair that flowed backwards.

_Or, whatever Risen "hair" is. _

He slashed a hole in the oncoming Risen and nimbly darted through it towards the chief, which slowly turned to face him.

"Rgh...Naga...nemesis..you..will-" Whatever the Risen chieftain had to say was severed along with its head.

Amadues finally let down his guard as he saw the rest of the Shepherds finishing off whatever Risen remained.

"Chrom! Let's go, now! We need to hurry; there could be more Risen on the way." Chrom nodded and sprinted towards the peak of the mountain.

"Shepherds! We'll be right back; if more Risen come, try to buy us time!"

Amadeus and Chrom climbed as quickly as they could. The path was steep, but they reached the altar in a matter of seconds.

Chrom took a deep breath.

"Chrom. Don't worry; you will withstand it. We all believe in you." He nodded, and they entered the altar.

It was almost an exact replica of the Dragon's Table, except that everything was in silver. In fact, Amadeus strongly suspected that they were exactly the same, down to the dragon statue whose wings covered the altar. However, where the altar to Grima had been shrouded in darkness, the altar to Naga was bathed in a bright, holy light.

They had definitely come to the right place.

Chrom raised the Fire Emblem, with the five Gemstones in place. Amadeus stepped back.

"Hear me, Naga! I bear proof of our sacred Covenant!" Chrom yelled out, his voice reverberating throughout the hall. The Gemstones began glowing, releasing smoky rays of light matching their colors from the shield. "In the name of the Exalted bloodline, I ask for the divine dragon's power!" He paused.

_This is it…_

"Bathe me in fire, so that I may become your true son!"

The Emblem glowed with a divine light for a second, before bright white flame spurted out from the Gemstones. The flame enveloped Chrom, forming a capsule that surrounded him.

"Hnrg…..GAHHHH!"

"Chrom! Hold on..I know you can do it!"

The fire kept burning. It roiled and raged in a continuous loop, surrounding the best friend that Amadeus had ever known, possibly burning him alive as he watched.

_But I can't; this is our only hope.._

Suddenly, the fire abated, and he saw Chrom, kneeling on the floor and gasping.

"CHROM!" He rushed over to help him up.

"I...I'm all right. Did it..work?"

"I don't know, to be honest-"

There was a flash of blinding light, and when they blinked enough so that they could see again, there was another figure floating above the altar.

_Naga herself…_

Her body glowed with pure, divine power. She floated above the altar in the air, and her green hair flowed down from her head to her hips. Her entire being exuded an elegant, holy power.

Amadeus and Chrom instantly knelt.

"Awakener...your heart has been tested, and deemed worthy. Your purpose has burned stronger than my fire.."

There was an awkward silence.

Chrom broke it.

"Then...I'm sorry to be blunt, but will you grant me the power to defeat Grima? Your power of a god?" Amadeus mentally facepalmed himself.

_Oh my gosh, Chrom, you can't just address the divine dragon like that!_

"I will grant you my power...but you must know this. I am no god. Nor is Grima. We do not possess the powers of creation or complete destruction. I do not possess the power to banish him completely..nor does he the power to banish me. We cannot destroy the other utterly."

"Then..what power can you grant me?" This wasn't the response they had expected from Naga.

"With my power, you may call forth the true might of Falchion, and your strength will equal mine."

"But I cannot destroy Grima, as you said?"

The figure shook her head slowly, her hair flowing as it followed her movements.

"Grima..cannot be slain by me. Putting him back to sleep is the only victory possible. That is why the first Exalt, your ancestor, could only put Grima to sleep millenia ago. He must also be weakened first..my power must be used to strike the final blow, if you would so wish to put him to sleep."

"Naga...is there any way to rid this world of Grima for good?"

She thought for a beat, before nodding, very slowly.

"There is...a way…but it would involve great sacrifice." Her eyes passed from Chrom, lingering on Amadeus. "The only power that could end Grima..is his own."

_Ah. _

Amadeus knew why she was staring at him now.

"He must kill himself?" Chrom hadn't caught on.

"Yes..and never would he actually do so. Now, you must hurry. To the west lies a volcano, known as Origin Peak. It is there that you can find Grima...but remember. My power can cannot destroy him for good."

"It can only put him back to sleep for good.." Amadeus thought out loud unintentionally.

"Correct, Fellblood." The mention of the word got Amadeus' attention.

"So you know…"

She nodded.

"You possess power similar to mine…"

Amadeus turned to Chrom.

"Chrom..I may know a way to put an end to Grima once and for all."

"What? How?"

"Naga said that...if Grima were to kill himself, it would destroy him forever. So what if I struck the final blow? The other version of me said that we were one and the same, outside of the choices we'd made...so if I were to kill him, wouldn't he be killing himself?"

Chrom mulled it over before breaking out in a smile.

"Amadeus, that's _brilliant! _Naga..will it work?"

The divine dragon had an odd look on her face, somewhere between a smile and a frown.

"Perhaps..but the consequences would be severe."

Amadeus knew this.

"You speak of the sacrifice, do you not?"

Another nod from the figure.

"Grima's heart, and that of Amadeus, are linked..inextricably. They cannot be separated. Therefore...slaying Grima would also end Amadeus' life."

_I knew it. _

"I guessed. I am ready for it." He closed his eyes as he said this.

_I'm going to be leaving so much behind..but it's for the greater good. Cordelia..you will understand. My children...they will understand, in time. _

"There is a small chance that you could survive. You have bound your heart to many others in this world...and quite tightly. If the strength of these bonds are strong enough...they may bring you back." A small smile had formed on her face. "But the chance is insignificant. His death would, in almost all likelihood, mean yours as well."

"Even so. I will do what I must." Amadeus had made his decision, and he knew it was the right one.

"No! Amadeus, no! We'll find another way. We always have!"

Amadeus shook his head calmly at his friend.

"No, Chrom. Use your head. If one of us must die, so that this terror may never come back to life...what is one life, when weighed against millions, possibly even billions? If we put an end to him forever...our progeny will never have to worry about this again."

"Amadeus. Stop...there _has _to be another way. And we will find it."

"Chrom..if even Naga does not know of another way, how will we find one?"

"I don't know..but we will. Promise me, Amadeus, that you won't do this…"

Amadeus sighed.

"Fine, Chrom. I promise you that we will try another way."

"Thank you, Amadeus."

They turned back to Naga.

"Grima and his servants await you at Origin Peak...you must make haste."

She faded out, and the two left the altar.

* * *

They descended and found the rest of the Shepherds sitting around idly. Apparently, no other Risen had come. Sumia flew out of nowhere to hug Chrom, Lucina not far behind.

He scanned for Cordelia and his children, and found them sitting on the edge of the plateau, staring at the waterfall.

Cordelia was explaining how a waterfall worked to the children; Morgan couldn't remember if she had seen one before, and Severa said she had never seen one in her future.

"So eventually, it carries enough of the soft rock over to the edge, and it'll erode slowly to form a waterfall. As the soft rock continues to erode and fall below the hard rock, it forms the overhang that causes the waterfall to form." She finished and waved at Amadeus, who was approaching them.

He sat on one end, and put his arm around Morgan. Cordelia sat on the other side, with her arm around Severa. They let their feet dangle over the plateau.

"So, what did Mother say about the waterfall?"

"She said…" Amadeus winced as Morgan went through what he was pretty sure was a verbatim reprisal of Cordelia's entire explanation.

"I see..that's..very interesting." The family leaned back, now lying on the grassy plain. They closed their eyes, enjoying the closeness.

Too soon, Chrom's voice brought them back to reality.

"Alright, Shepherds. To Origin Peak; our final battle awaits us."

Amadeus reluctantly got up, and they made for the bottom of the mountain.

* * *

**That was a bit slower than usual; sorry, it was a really busy weekend! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Again, I'm mostly following the plot right now, not too many twists; honestly, I'm not sure if I can put too many in. Since this is my first fanfic, I've realized I should plan ahead more..I've had a lot of ideas that I wanted to put in but I needed to have some background in earlier chapters, so that didn't work. Hopefully, in the future, if I write any more, I'll be able to implement that kind of foreshadowing/planting seeds in earlier chapters for the later chapters to build on. **

**Anyways, this chapter reveals a lot of stuff (for those who haven't played the game, or just aren't at this stage yet). Amadeus is actually the bad guy (in a sense), and all that. However, I also wanted to put some scenes of Amadeus and his family. They know that this is the final battle, and there's a tacit knowledge within the Shepherds that, because this will be their final and toughest battle, some of them might not make it out alive. As a result, they want to cherish their time together as much as possible. However, they also need to focus on the mission at hand. **

**Some of you might not like how easily Severa accepted Amadeus' reasoning that he wouldn't become Grima in this timeline. Well, for the first thing, Grima is already reborn, and it's obviously not this Amadeus, it's the other Amadeus. Two, we've seen from her past interactions that she _wants _to trust her parents; however, she's holding herself back from what she wants. Amadeus knows what to say to assuage those fears, and once those walls are broken down, there's really nothing holding Severa back. **

**Wolves-of-insanity: thanks for the positive review! glad I could help with your decision (I should get Nintendo to sponsor..jk!), and hopefully you'll enjoy your ride through the game! And, also, I hope you'll keep reading on :)**

**I'll probably be wrapping this up in a 2-3 more chapters. I've really enjoyed writing this, so Iif anyone has prompts (for one-shots, longer fanfics, etc.), I'd happily consider writing some of them! If you have any, please let me know. I'm not sure games/genres the audience is interested in..but feel free to let me know, and I'll see if I can tackle any! **


	18. Chapter 17

"Amadeus. You remember your promise, do you not?" Chrom asked.

Amadeus sighed.

"Yes. I won't strike the final blow. I know."

"Good." The two resumed the march in silence.

Origin Peak was far away. The volcano itself was situated on an island. The Shepherds decided to take a ship from Port Ferox and make their way there. The march to Port Ferox was about two days from Mount Prism, and sailing would take another two days, which meant they had no time to spare. They returned to Ylisstol from Mount Prism well into nightfall, and rested to be ready for the march the next day.

Amadeus was in his room. Cordelia had gone to sleep, as had the children, but he felt restless.

_I know that I won't be keeping my promise to Chrom...but how much should I tell Cordelia? She would definitely try to stop me from what I must do…_

He finally came to a decision.

_It pains me, but she can't know. _

He sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day, taking a seat at his desk. He took out a piece of parchment, and a quill.

_To my love, and my wife, Cordelia, _

_I love you beyond words. I love you more than anything in the world..and if I could, I would grow old with you. I love you, and I've been lucky to have you by my side through thick and thin. _

_If you are reading this, then we have won. Grima has been vanquished, for eternity this time; there will be no worry of his return. I wanted to tell you before, but I was afraid that you would try to stop me, and that my feelings for you would get in the way of what I needed to do. _

_As I told you before, I am Grima; Grima is me. Naga told me and Chrom that the only way to end Grima forever was if he struck the blow himself...which is why I had to strike the blow. Since I am eternally linked to him, if he were to die, then so would I. _

_But do not give up hope. Naga said that there is a chance, if the bonds I have formed in this time are strong enough, of me returning. So keep faith, for I will return…._

He smiled, and kept writing.

* * *

He felt a hand gently shaking him awake.

"Amy? It's time to go."

He jumped at her voice and quickly scrambled to make sure the letter was covered. To his satisfaction, he saw that it was no longer on the desk, but folded neatly and tucked into his robe pocket.

"Y-yes, Cordelia." He gazed at her, still stunned at her beauty after all this time. "You look..even lovelier than ever today, Cordelia. You're just so..beautiful, as always."

She brushed off the compliment, but he could see in her dismissal the traces of a smile that showed how she truly felt about the compliment.

"Well, thank you. I would say you look more handsome than ever, but...you do have some drool stains on your mouth." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"...Really? I was trying to be romantic." He sighed and turned away, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He turned to ask if he'd gotten rid of the stains.

"Did I get-mmfph!"

Her lips interrupted what he was saying.

"How's that for romantic?"

"Well...I could use another round of that."

* * *

They met up with the others in the familiar morning ritual. Weapons and armor and other supplies were inventoried, and they quickly loaded them into the convoy before beginning the trek to Port Ferox. Amadeus, as usual, marched with his family.

He stood on the left side, holding Morgan's hand, with Cordelia and Severa right next to them. Walking through the woods, he tried to remember each detail; each blade of grass, each bare tree branch.

_This is most likely the last time I'll see these places…_

He looked back at the gates of Ylisstol; the only place he'd been able to call home. He closed his eyes and envisioned his room...how bland it had been before, and how it seemed so much more lively ever since Cordelia had moved in with him. How her presence seemed to light up wherever she was...he could be half dead, and yet he'd still find more energy when she was around. His eyes turned back from the city to rest on her.

_Gods...she's just so..beautiful. I'll still never know what I did to deserve her.._

He felt a tugging on his hand.

"Father? Is there any reason you're staring at Mother?" Morgan asked.

"W-what? Oh, well..I was merely caught up in her beauty." He decided not to weasel his way out of this one; at least, not directly. "Which, of course, both you and Severa have inherited."

Morgan turned away, flushing.

"No! You're just saying that. Severa said that we could look like monkey butts and you'd still say we were the most beautiful girls in the world! She said so at the hot springs, I remember!"

Amadeus chuckled. Morgan really didn't miss anything.

"But it's true that you two are the most beautiful girls in the world. Other than your mother, of course."

Morgan flushed again.

"Fine..if you say so." They lapsed back into silence. "By the way, Father, what was that book you were reading yesterday?"

"Hm? You mean the one about the history of the Grimleal?"

"Yeah...have you seen it around anywhere?" There was an odd glint in her eye…

"Um..it was in my bag this morning.." He opened it. "That's...odd...where is it?"

Morgan was giggling.

"Alright, Morgan. Where did you put it."

She kept giggling.

"I've hidden it."

"So...this is today's challenge, then?"

She nodded, still smiling with satisfaction.

"You'll never find it! You could search for years, and you'll never find my diabolical hiding-"

"Morgan, it's in your bag." He pointed at the bag slung over her shoulder, and the girl instantly deflated.

"W-what? How did you figure it out so quickly?" She hung her head, and he quickly raised it again.

"You know me well, Morgan. And you knew that I value that book; so I knew you'd never hide it somewhere it could be damaged or destroyed. Also, we're on the march; there are only so many places you can hide it when everyone's on the move...so, it had to be close by, where you could keep an eye on it, but still keep it concealed."

"You..pretty much just went through my entire thought process. And I thought I was being clever.." Her face dropped, and there was no sign of the jovial laugh that had been there before.

"No, Morgan, you were being clever. With some more practice, I'm sure you'll be able to hide all my books from me...although I sincerely hope you will never do that to me." He chuckled, and pulled her into a hug. "I love you, Morgan."

"I love you too, Father."

* * *

_To my brilliant daugher, Morgan: _

_I cannot express how happy I am that I found you in this timeline, and that we were able to save you at the ruins. You've brought me so much joy in this life...I can't thank you enough. I didn't tell you about this before because I didn't want you to worry, but I have to be away for a while. _

_If you're reading this, then we've won the final battle, and Grima is gone forever. This was the only way to permanently banish Grima, and I'm sure you'll understand why I did what I did. I had to strike the final blow, but because we're linked, intertwined, enmeshed together, if he dies, then so do I. Sometimes, as a tactician, there isn't a way to be successful without a sacrifice. But if our bonds are strong enough, then I can return. So wait for me, Morgan. I love you so much, my child, and I'm so proud of you..._

* * *

They finally reached Port Ferox. It had been magnificently rebuilt in the wake of Valm's last attack; the pebbled ground had been recast and looked as good as new, and the streets lining the outside of the port were bustling with shops and stalls. The dock itself had been relaid with new, healthy wood, and could now support multiple ships docking at the same time.

Flavia and Basilio had greeted them warmly at Regna Ferox when they met, and understood the urgency of the situation. They would be coming along with the Shepherds for the final battle.

"So the big dragon is back, eh? Well, it'll have to get through my big brown Feroxi arse before it gets to Regna Ferox!" Basilio whirled his axe proudly.

"Yes..we are yours to command now, Amadeus. We travel with you to end this threat, once and for all."

The Shepherds quickly loaded their things on board the ship. Since it was only a small contingent, only three ships were needed. The island was perhaps a day away.

Amadeus could feel the end nearing.

* * *

Amadeus was relaxing on the bow, staring off into the sky. The moon shone bright, in a sharp crescent, and stars dotted the sky.

"Amy? It's late. We should get some sleep..tomorrow's going to be an important battle." Cordelia emerged from the shadows of the inner cabin.

"Oh, hi, Cordelia. I know..I'm just...dueling with unpleasant thoughts." He smiled briefly at the phrase, which he'd stolen from Chrom.

"Oh? Unpleasant thoughts?" She sidled up to him and put an arm around him. "Spill?"

He turned, and looked her in the eye.

_How I wish I could tell you…_

"It's nothing bad….I was just..sad that, you know, we have to put off our wedding for so long." She smiled, having not caught his hesitation.

"Silly! It's okay; I could wait for you for years. There's no rush...we both know that we belong to each other, and no one else." She put her hands around his head and turned it so that she could kiss him tightly.

"I know...I just feel bad because you were so excited. And you didn't even get a chance to finish planning!"

"It's okay, Amy. Don't worry about it. As long as you promise that the instant we're back in Ylisstol, we are getting married."

"Heh. It's a deal." He turned back to the stars, and she followed his gaze.

"Are you looking at the constellations? I studied them when I was young..I was always fascinated by them. That one there, that's Orion's Belt." She pointed at three stars that seemed to be in a horizontal line that sloped slightly upwards.

Amadeus had no idea what Orion's Belt was, much less what a constellation was. But he decided to play along.

"Mhm. Oh, do you see that one?" He pointed to a random cluster of stars. "They call that one Ai."

Cordelia's eyes widened.

"I've never heard of that one before..it doesn't really look like anything to me."

Amadeus pushed her head gently upwards to look at the spot.

"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure it looks like a heart!"

"It does..? No it-you're pulling my leg, aren't you?"

Amadeus feigned a look of indignation.

"What? Would I ever do that to you?" He winked at her, and she guffawed.

"_Really. _So does that name you made up mean anything, then?"

He nodded and winked again.

"It actually means love in ancient Chon'sin-ese."

She slapped him on the cheek with quite some strength

"You're tricking me again..."

He staggered back.

"No, really! It actually does! Look!" He pulled out a dictionary that Say'ri had given him, and flipped to the page he'd dog-eared. "Look!"

"I can't see, Amadeus."

"Fire."

He watched as her eyes scanned the page, looking for the world.

"Well, fry my feathers. It does." She looked up at him with a sheepish smile, before wincing at the swelling on his face. He noticed her change in expression.

"Is it that bad?" He lifted a hand to his throbbing cheek.

"Er...let me make that up to you." She winked at him and disappeared back into the shadows of the cabin.

"Huh?" He made to follow, pausing at the entrance, and her hand reached out of the shadows and pulled him into their cabin.

* * *

In the daylight, he could see the great dragon. It had four wings which beat incessantly, and that terrifying head that they had seen the day it emerged. It seemed that its darkness spread. The island, and indeed the volcano, had become completely shrouded in a thick black fog. Amadeus could only see the island through the bright red-orange glow of the lava inside it.

The morning sun was still rising, and Amadeus looked out at the churning waters beneath him, and the light blue sky above him. It was all so surreal.

_How could everything proceed so normally, when everything is so far from normal? _

He saw birds flying in the sky, just as they always did. Fish occasionally jumped at the surface, and he even thought he saw the distinct dorsal fin of a shark just barely protruding out over the water.

Life went on as it did everyday for these creatures…

_Don't they realize the magnitude of what is about to happen? Surely they can't just live on as if nothing has changed…_

"Daddy...this is it, isn't it?" Severa must have woken early as well, and found him on the deck of the ship.

"Yes, honey. Today..this will be it. And then we can go home, and we can be a normal family."

_At least, you, your sister, and your mother will be able to enjoy that. _

"And will you take me shopping?" She faked a smile.

"Severa...you're nervous, aren't you?"

Severa shook her head, pigtails flying.

"No! I don't know what you're talking about."

He put a hand around her, and she fell into his chest, suddenly sobbing.

"I...I'm so scared! What if we fail...or what if we succeed, but you or mom or Morgan gets killed? What am I going to do…"

He patted her hair reassuringly.

"We won't fail. And Mother and I won't die, nor will Morgan. We promised we'd all get out of this together, didn't we? And a promise is a promise." He held her tightly, and for once, she hugged him as tightly as she could for as long as she could.

* * *

_To my beautiful daughter, Severa: _

_I love you. When your mother and I found you in this world...I can honestly say that both of us were beset with happiness; to imagine that our own daughter had traveled through time, to come to help us! We are so very proud of everything you and Morgan have achieved. _

_If you're reading this...then we've won. We've defeated Grima, and he will never return again. But to ensure that your future, and your children's future, and their children's futures, and on and on, will not involve fighting Grima again, a sacrifice had to be made. I had to strike the final blow, ending both Grima's and my own life in the process. It was a sacrifice I would happily make again, if only to know that it would allow you, Morgan, and your mother to live happily in peace for the rest of your lives. _

_I know your mother and I both promised you that we would never say another sad farewell to you again...and I intend to keep that promise. There is a way that I could come back…_

* * *

They finally made land. Even the beaches of the island had taken on a darker, blackish tone. Weapons and items were quickly unloaded from the ships and onto the wagons, and the Shepherds huddled together one last time.

Chrom stood at their forefront, and turned to address them.

"Shepherds! This is it...today, we defeat the fell dragon, and we will purge it from this world! I don't have any fancy words today. Let our blades ring out the conviction of our beliefs, and let our strength overcome that of our enemies!" He raised Falchion, which now glowed blue with Naga's power.

There was a roar from the group, and they made their way into the depths of the island, where the volcano, and Grima, awaited them.

Just as Amadeus had suspected, the entire island had been literally and figuratively darkened by Grima's presence. The atmosphere itself was one of dread and despair, and Amadeus could almost physically feel it hanging around him and the other Shepherds. The trees and grass that lay throughout the island were also noticeably darker; it was winter, and the trees were bare, but the branches and trunks had gone from a healthy chocolate brown to a color that was harder to distinguish from the black of night.

Purple lightning crackled incessantly, accompanied by booming thunder.

The island was small, and they made their way to the volcano within the hour. Amadeus felt a presence ahead of them..

"Chrom! We're going to need to fight. There are Grimleal here." Chrom nodded, and the Shepherds quickly fanned out into their usual position.

A familiar voice sounded out across the base of the volcano.

"Murderers! Master Grima said he would deliver you here...and he has! You will pay for taking Master Validar from me!"

"Aversa." Amadeus muttered under his breath.

He quickly assessed the battlefield in front of him. There was a large canyon in the middle, separating Aversa's forces into two. He could have the Shepherds attack one side, and then wrap around a passage in the back that lead to the other side.

_Yes, that would work. We'll kill one side, finish off Aversa, and then loop around to clean up the rest of these sorry fools. _

"Shepherds! As a unit; we'll sweep around. Be careful of reinforcements coming from the back!" The quickly grouped into a large, well-spaced unit. Cordelia and Sumia took to the skies, following the usual command to be careful until enemy archers were eliminated.

They advanced slowly. The Grimleal fought just as they moved when they were at Orkul: as if under some otherworldy control. This control gave them faster reflexes than Amadeus had expected, and the Shepherds found them to be much tougher than most; even tougher than Gangrel and his Plegian army. They were human, but moved with inhumane quickness.

Magic crackled and blades clanged as the Shepherds charged. The Grimleal outnumbered them, but even with their induced quickness, they were no match for the skill of the Shepherds. Amadeus found himself separated from Cordelia and Severa, but still side by side with Morgan. The girl was muttering her spells under her breath, firing bolts of crackling thunder at ground units, and blasting any air units with her wind magic.

_That's my girl. _

He focused on his own targets, and their magic tore through the enemy ranks, but they seemed to be endless in number. The Grimleal numbered much more than his initial count, it appeared. Many had been in hiding, and many more came in as reinforcements as the battle wore on.

Amadeus decided to switch to his lance, to save some of his magic for later. Morgan was still blasting happily away. A few paces away, he made out a familiar plume of red hair, and platinum pigtails fighting back to back.

"Morgan! Let's go help your mother and Severa." She nodded and followed, still firing magic from her fingertips at any Grimleal that followed.

Amadeus could see that there was a large circle of Grimleal about to close in on them. Whirling out his lance and roaring at the top of his lungs, he charged forward, sweeping his lance blade through multiple Grimleal as he landed. He swung out a gauntleted fist, cracking the skull of the Grimleal he landed next to, and in a fluid motion, pulled out a tome and fired it. He managed to channel a beam of fire, and directed it outwards in a ring, incinerating the entire group of Grimleal that had been there.

"Cordelia! Severa! Everything alright?" They nodded as the family took a brief respite from fighting. Elsewhere, Amadeus took stock of the situation. None of the Shepherds had fallen, and they seemed to be doing quite well. Chrom was just finishing off a small pack of Grimleal with Lucina, as Sumia flew above and picked off any stragglers with her lance. Virion had found a rock to stand on, and was firing mayhem from his bow. Frederick and Cherche were wreaking havoc with another pack of Grimleal.

The path was clear to Aversa, save for a small group of what he presumed were her guards, about four strong. He found Gaius and Nowi, who were also taking a quick break, and motioned towards them. They nodded, and he saw Nowi take out her dragonstone and close her eyes. There was a quick flash of light, and she was back in dragon form, Gaius on her back with his bow. She flew recklessly in towards Aversa, drawing the attention of the four guards, who drew their weapons. As she looped around, they followed, and Gaius picked them off one by one.

While all this was going on, Amadeus, Cordelia, Morgan, and Severa had snuck up to Aversa.

"My, my. You've brought the family to die with you, mm, dear?" Her eyes glanced over them as her lips curled into a mocking laugh.

"No, Aversa. They're here to make sure you don't escape this time!" Amadeus narrowed his eyes and drew his tome.

"Please, Amadeus. I thought I was the only one? I wanted to face you one on one...Master Validar said you were more talented than me! Now, we can't have that, can we? So I must destroy you...for killing him!"

"...Alright, ine. Do your worst, Aversa. Cordelia, Severa, Morgan, go help the others finish the rest of the Grimleal. Leave this scum to me."

"Amy...are you sure?" Cordelia kept a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to fight on her terms."

He shook his head.

"No, but I want to finish her off myself."

She noticed the steel in his voice, and backed off, taking their daughters with her.

"Aww, how cute. She even has a nickname for you. I'll relish seeing her cry over your dead body...Goetia!" She suddenly brought forth a midnight black tome, and shot forth purple energy from her hand.

He ducked as the beam flew just over his head.

"Thoron!" A beam of yellow erupted from his hand, which she nimbly dodged.

"Now, now. That's a bit predictable, don't you think, _Amy_?"

"Don't you _dare _use that name! Thoron!" Another yellow beam, and she dodged again.

"And this is what Validar thought more able than I? Goodness, I cannot imagine how weak I must be...Goetia!" Another purple bolt. Amadeus leapt to the side this time, and was glad he did; she'd aimed lower, expecting him to dodge again. He tried to close the distance between them.

She noticed his tactic, but didn't back off. They both wielded their tomes, he wielding his tome of lightning, while she wielded her tome of dark energy. Once in close quarters, the two tapped all their magic, encasing them in magical energy. Amadeus became a figure cloaked in crackling electricity, and Aversa became shrouded in a dark purple mist, much like Validar had before.

At this point, it was just hand to hand combat. Physical strength hardly mattered; encased in their magic, both had strength beyond any physical strength one could achieve.

Punches and kicks, empowered by their magic, were thrown, but neither could land a convincing blow. Round and round they went, each looking for an opening, but never really able to find one. It was almost like watching a wrestling match; flurries of punches and kicks were thrown, but then there would be a pause in activity, as the two backed off and caught their breath, looking for another opening to attack.

Finally, Aversa thought she saw an opening. She closed in, trying to bait Amadeus into a defensive stance, and then pushed off, twisting her body into a roundhouse kick that landed a glancing blow to Amadeus' side. He winced and staggered back, temporarily incapacitated by the force of the kick, and she reared back to smite him with her dark magic.

Amadeus had been expecting it, and just barely rolled to one side, dodging most of the blow, but it left a smoldering hole in his cloak.

Aversa had channeled all her magic into the finishing blow, and was shocked to see that she had missed.

"W-what? How?" She tried to rev up her magic again, but couldn't; she was out. Amadeus got up and smiled as his own shield of magic dissolved slowly, flowing into the electric bolt he held in his hand.

"I faked my incapacitation. I knew..in your rage, you'd channel all your magic into a killing blow. So I baited it out of you. Validar was wrong about many things...but he was right about one thing: I am better than you." She scrambled back towards the base of the volcano.

"N-no..I was better! I served him faithfully! I learned the ways of the Grimleal! I was his best servant..his..most..able…"

"Thoron." An electric ball flew through the air, hitting her square in the chest and knocking her back against the wall of the volcano.

She peeled off the wall, landing face first on the musty ground.

"Ah...finally...sweet...death…"

Amadeus watched as her body went limp. He then turned his back to the dark mage, and threw himself back into the fray.

* * *

Apparently, it had been Aversa who was channeling Grima's magic into the Grimleal. Once he had defeated her, it seemed that the Grimleal slowed down considerably, and the fight became much easier. Chrom looked up as he finished dispatching a Grimleal.

"I think that's the last of them."

Amadeus nodded.

"ROAARRRRRRR"

"Gah! What was that?" Chrom winced as he covered his ears.

Amadeus looked up for the answer.

The great head of the fell dragon had turned to face them so that they were looking straight into its mouth. Amadeus had seen the skull, and the rows and rows of serrated teeth, but now, looking at it straight on, he felt the magnitude of the terror it instilled. It looked as if the thing had mouths within mouths, an endless continuity of fangs for snapping up the living.

"Grima...How does one battle something so monstrous? Never in my studies have I encountered something like that…"

_If only Naga were here...she would be able to point us in the right direction._

A flash of light, and a familiar figure appeared before them.

"Naga!" Chrom bowed his head, and the rest of the Shepherds followed suit, in awe at the divine figure before them.

"Do not despair...the fell dragon has a weakness, on the nape of its neck. Doubtless, it will be heavily defended by Grimleal, but it is still a weakness. I can only bring two of you up there...and you must hurry. Decide who will be going."

There was no question. Chrom nodded at Amadeus, and he nodded back. The two stepped forward.

"It will be us."

"Very well. Say your farewells, and I shall transport you."

Amadeus turned and braced himself.

_Chrom doesn't know..and neither do Cordelia, Morgan, Severa, or anyone else. This is the last time I will see them...unless I come back…._

Cordelia threw herself into his arms.

"Amy..I know you'll come back. Promise me you'll come back!" She sobbed into his chest. Morgan and Severa clung to his waist, and they were crying as well.

"Cordelia..Severa...Morgan...I promise you I will return." He kissed each of them, as he felt the tears forming in his eyes. He quickly turned away, blinking back the moisture in his eyes.

_I can't give away too much. Chrom...I trust you'll bring my message back to them when the final battle is over. _

Amadeus unconsciously patted his inner robe pocket as he stepped back towards Naga as Chrom did the same. They turned and waved to the Shepherds one last time, and Amadeus made eye contact with Cordelia one last time.

Then, a flash of green light, and the were gone.

* * *

_There was something different this time. _

She understood her fiancé better than anyone else did, and she knew something was wrong.

_That's not how he would normally have bid us farewell...there was something on his mind. I know it. But what could it be? It was almost as if there was something he was keeping from them._

She shook her head.

_I have to stay strong...for Morgan and Severa. But..what if he doesn't return? He doesn't know it..but I'm nothing without him…_

_Please, Amadeus. Please return to us safely after this battle. _

Her heart sank at the possibility of what could happen on the neck of the fell dragon.

"Mother?" She saw Morgan gnawing at her lip, hand in hand with Severa.

"Yes, dear?"

"Father will be okay, won't he?"

She nodded.

"Of course he will." She hugged the two of them, blinking back tears.

The words of reassurance were as much for her daughters as they were for herself.

The three sniffed together, before sitting back, wondering what to do. Severa nudged Morgan, who tugged on her mother's arm.

"Mother?"

"Yes, Morgan?"

"Since we're waiting for Father to come back..why don't you tell us about your side of the story, when it comes to how you met him and fell in love? I'm sure it's different from what he told us. Seve-er, I mean, I really wanted to know."

She smiled.

"Of course, dear."

_Reliving the past will certainly bring some happiness to me._

Her mind went back in time.

* * *

_I remember the first time I really looked at him. Frederick had called me to spar with him. He really was hopeless with a lance...it was pretty much effortless for me to disarm the scrawny tactician. But he learned quickly, and by the end of the day, he already looked like he had much more experience than he did. I thought that was that; a quick spar, and then we would go our separate ways._

_But there was something about him. I couldn't quite put her finger on it..but after that day, when I returned to my room, for the first time, my bedtime thoughts weren't on a certain blue-haired man. _

_He'd offered to talk to me; and anytime! "I'm always available", he'd said. Granted, I'd talked to pretty much all the Shepherds at one point or another about my man problems..but he'd been the first one to offer voluntarily. _

_That was sweet, and that counted for something. _

_But what if he just didn't know about my man problems, and didn't know what he was getting in to?_

_So I decided to take him up on the offer, and it went about as well as I expected. I blew up at him for something pointless...now I'd never have another chance to get to know him. _

_Except, when I went to apologize, he brushed off my previous explosion as if nothing had happened. _

_And then I found myself opening up to him, more than I had to anyone else before. _

_And it was nothing about Chrom. _

_The amazing thing? He understood. He got to the heart of problem; he figured out just why I could be so easily upset, and just what was troubling me all the time._

_And then the boat ride to Valm. It was then that I knew, although I'd had an inkling since the first night, when Amadeus was in my thoughts. He'd replaced Chrom. I had no explanation for it; there was just..something about him. Chrom was a great man; a worthy leader of his people. And yet, Amadeus..Amadeus was, in many ways, just as great as Chrom. Chrom took orders from Amadeus! But he would never realize it..he was too humble to see his talents, and how special he was. _

_I worried, too. How could I ever deserve someone as amazing as Amadeus? Surely, someone more accomplished, more worthy, would snatch him away before he even noticed me._

_The boat ride..we'd spent almost as much time together as two people could, without tiring of the other's presence. It was amazing. We talked about everything; he told me about his wyvern, and how to take care of her, and I did the same with my pegasus. But that talk couldn't last all day; we rode together, on each other's mounts, enjoying the sights, and yes, I did clutch his waist a lot tighter than I had to. It was just so perfect...we could talk about anything. He told me about the books he read, and the strategies he learned, and I told him what I knew of the pegasus knights, and my own past. _

_But then...when we sighted the warships, he didn't even bother to lend me a hand. It was almost as if he was trying so hard to get away from me, his mind completely focused on the battle. _

_And then came the time he almost died. He'd left my sight for just a bit in the battle...and then, I found him, bloody and with a lance stuck through his stomach. It took everything I had not to cry, or reveal my feelings for him, as he lay there, toeing the line with death as I airlifted him. _

_But, fortunately, he healed perfectly fine, and I watched over him as he healed. I tried to make an advance when he woke up..but all it ended up in was an awkward hug. _

_Oh well. There will be more opportunities, I guess…_

_So I decided one day to ask him, if he had feelings for someone. He said he did..and my heart beat a little faster. Was there a chance that it was me? _

_So I pressed on, but he seemed put off by it, and disappointed. There was a faraway look in his eyes as he told me, "I know she'd say no." _

_My heart dropped. It wasn't me, then. Surely he would have taken all the hints, and realized that I would have said yes? All he had to do was ask...but it seemed his heart lay elsewhere. _

_I cried that entire night, a pitiful, emotional wreck. Once again, the man I loved loved someone else.._

_And then there was the night all my dreams came true. Who would have guessed that it started with me sobbing to Sumia? As I cried to her, pouring out all my emotional trauma, she patted me reassuringly, and she told me to wait while she got me some of Maribelle's comfort tea. _

_And then...he walked in the tent. And he gave me this pegasus doll...that's why I carry it everywhere. It's my reminder of the time we finally were joined together…_

_But I didn't know what he was getting at just yet. Sure, he'd given me a really cute gift that I loved..but friends do that too. It didn't necessarily mean anything…_

_And then he said he had something to tell me. Could it be? _

_But, being the brainy tactician he is, he got me to say it first. _

_And so I poured out the only thing in my heart that I hadn't told him before. I told him I had feelings for him. And...then, finally, he admitted his feelings for me. _

_I never slept so well in my life. _

* * *

"And that's how your father and I got together, from my point of view." She smiled at the recollection, and unconsciously looked up at the dragon, where the love of her life was battling for a better world.

_A better world for us…_

"So you liked Daddy right away too!" Severa exclaimed.

"Well, yes, but I didn't know it until later."

Morgan's eyes opened wide.

"Does that mean you lied to Father about when you started liking him? I think he was under the impression that you didn't start liking him until the boat ride.."

"Oh. Well...goodness, Morgan, dear, you really don't miss anything. Just like your Father." Her eyes looked skyward again at the dragon set against the purple-black sky. "Well..okay. I promise that when he gets back, I'll tell him that I loved him from the start. How does that sound?"

Morgan smiled and nodded.

"I think that will make him happy."

Cordelia shook her head.

"No, you two make him happy. Happier than anything in the world." She hugged the two tightly, forcing herself not to look skyward.

_I can't act worried...I need to stay strong. _

_But...Amadeus.._

_Please. Come back to me..._

* * *

**And another chapter! Next one may or may not be the last..I've yet to decide. Most likely, it won't be. They finally reach Origin Peak, and kill Aversa and the Grimleal, and now find themselves just one step away from defeating Grima. **

**For those of you wondering, yes, those are letters to his loved ones. They shed some light on Amadeus' plans for the final battle...which should be clear. I didn't want to reveal the entire contents of the letters (and, to be honest, I haven't worked those out yet), but perhaps I'll add them later as extra chapters/appendices to this story. If you guys really want to, I can do that for sure. **

**Afterwards, only Chrom and Amadeus get to go onto the dragon. I thought that this would be a fun twist to make; it'll be fun to see how they deal with the overwhelming number of Grimleal up there. **

**Also, at the end, we finally see things from Cordelia's point of view. The summary of how she and Amadeus got back together isn't really all that different..but I thought that it would be interesting to see how she viewed it. This entire story has been from Amadeus' point of view, so it seemed prudent to introduce the point of view of the one he loves most. Also, there may be parts of future chapters (so yeah, the next chapter won't be the last) where someone else's point of view is needed. **

**Here, we see, if the reader has doubted her, that her feelings really and truly do lie with Amadeus. Amadeus himself probably still has some little bit of reservation, but she hasn't done anything to make him doubt. I put in little tidbits of her interacting with Chrom completely normally to show this in past chapters (not sure if you guys have noticed). **

**Wolves-of-insanity: I am considering it! However, I'm not really sure for prompts/etc. Hopefully, I'll get something, or someone will suggest something, but I haven't gotten any yet. Guess the audience doesn't really have any ideas for me :(**

**Flipnhaole: Yes, she will most likely be angry initially, but who knows what her actual reaction will be? I haven't worked that out yet; I'm assuming that the writing will reveal that to me, so you guys will find out when I do! **

**Thanks everyone for staying with me through this project; it really means a lot. **

**Enjoy this chapter, and please R&R! **


	19. Chapter 18

Everything flashed green, and he felt as if he were being roughly grabbed by the shoulders and pulled upwards. He closed his eyes, clutching his fists until the sensation was gone.

Then he opened his eyes, and blinked until he could see.

Naga had teleported them above the clouds. They were surrounded, now, by the purple sky, as if in a huge auditorium with the dragon. Its entire body was pitch black...Amadeus could make out each individual vertebrae on its spine underneath his feet; they were the size of entire buildings.

They were in between each pair of wings. On the parts where they connected to the dragon's body, Amadeus could see four symbols, each with a Grimleal standing over it. There were sixteen Grimleal covering these spots; four more on similar looking spots further down the dragon's back, behind them, and four more, standing guard further up the dragon, near the nape of its neck.

And then, of course, there was the hierophant, now the human embodiment of Grima.

_So that's what she meant by a weakness..kill him, and the dragon will cease to be._

He couldn't say how he knew it, but something told him his hunch was right.

"Wretched son of Naga...you will be destroyed!" His own voice called…

_The hierophant..no, Grima. _

"Amadeus? Are you ready?" Chrom drew the glowing Falchion, and Amadeus nodded as he drew his lance.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Chrom. Let's finish this!"

"Ha ha ha...you have much to understand, fools." The hierophant glowed with purple energy, and a dark sphere of purple emerged, floating into the air.

Amadeus and Chrom had nowhere to go; the orb of dark energy descended upon them, and Amadeus instantly felt all his energy being sapped away.

He fell to his knees, and Chrom did the same, leaning on Falchion for support.

"W-what manner of magic..is this.." Chrom groaned.

"Gah! No...all our work..for nothing…" Amadeus could barely muster the strength to form words.

_We couldn't even put up a fight…_

_Chrom..I'm sorry…_

"Mwua ha ha ha! And so it ends, Amadeus. Do you see how frail human bonds are? Do you see how short lived and pointless they are? You have thrown your lives away, and soon, the lives of your loved ones will be tossed out just as effortlessly as your own! The result is the same…"

Amadeus managed to get to his feet.

"We're not dead yet.."

The hierophant sighed.

"Well, yes. The keyword there is yet..I suppose it's time to get you off my back. Literally, so to speak."

Amadeus staggered backwards.

"N-no…"

"No, you don't want this, do you?" The hierophant held open his hands in an inviting gesture. "I am giving you a choice. See how kind I am? You can save your friends...if you join me. Become one with the fell dragon, as you were destined to be. Then, I will spare them...but refuse, and I will kill you last, so you may have the pleasure of watching as they die before your eyes."

"NO, Amadeus. Don't...do it. He's...lying…" Chrom muttered.

"I will have your decision. Time waits for no one, you know." The hierophant's eyes blazed into Amadeus'. "Will you join me? Will you become a _god_?"

Amadeus looked him in the eyes.

"No."

"You are bringing about the death of everyone you love."

"Do you think me a fool? You would kill them all anyways…"

"Well, yes, that was the plan. But maybe you'd like to leave them with a selfless image of sacrifice...but a choice is a choice, and we must all live with the ones we've made, as you're about to find out."

The ground beneath Amadeus' feet suddenly opened up, and he dropped into a pulsing, black abyss.

He never felt himself hit the floor. He suddenly felt himself stop falling, and found that he could stand. He rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the darkness.

"Huh..where am I?"

"Where your god wills you to be…"

_Grima…_

"You!"

"Yes..me. Now, I have some fleas to get off my back." The hierophant turned.

"No! I won't let you hurt them." Amadeus reached for his lance, or his tome, but they were all gone. He balled his fists and raised them at the shadowy purple figure.

"You still _dare _to resist me? Fine, then. I was going to make you watch them all die..but I guess I'll just have to kill you first!"

The hierophant held out his hand. Suddenly, Amadeus felt as if someone had slapped him across the head, hard. He fell to the ground, losing consciousness.

He couldn't open his eyes.

Everything was black.

All he could hear was the sound of the hierophant - himself- laughing.

"No...he has...won..for once, I am out of strategies….I..have..lost.."

"Fight back!" A new voice made its way into his head.

"W-what?"

"You have to fight back! You promised to keep fighting…"

"That voice...I know it.."

"Come on! Fight him with all you've got! Fight back, Amadeus!"

"Is that..Chrom? CHROM! I can hear you.."

His head suddenly exploded with faces and voices. He saw all the Shepherds...and they were reaching out, pulling him back.

"_I know it would take more than this to stop you, sir." _

"_C'mon, Amadeus! Get back in there! I need someone to eat the buffet with me when we celebrate!" _

"_Amadeus! Get up right this instant, or I will smack you with my parasol!" _

"_Up and at 'em, Bubbles! A measly dragon's a piece of cake!" _

"_Hey! I thought I was your favorite dragon!"_

"_You have earned our trust and our love, Amadeus. Now fight back with all of our streng_th!"

More and more voices blended together in his head. They all offered encouragement, recalling the memories he'd made with all of them, reminding him of the bonds that they'd forged and strengthened together.

But there were still a few more faces he wanted to see...and he found them.

_Severa.._

"_Daddy...come back! You promised! You promised me that we would never have another sad goodbye again! And you said we'd go shopping together, and do all the things that daddies and daughters do...if you don't come back, I'll never forgive you! And..I...love you...I don't want to say goodbye, so soon after saying hello again..." _

_Morgan…_

"_Father! You mean everything to me...I can't lose you again! Come back...all my memories are with you! I've looked up to you my whole life..I just want you to be here with me, so I can keep learning from you, and so I can keep being your daughter.."_

_Only one more..._

_There. The familiar red curls...and the wing clips in her hair. She was here too. Her arms reached out for him, and her face neared his..so close he could swear he smelled that lovely lavender scent. _

"_Amadeus...we're here to help you back. You have to come back. Don't let him win...we're all here for you. I love you..don't leave me behind! Come back to us! We all want you back...our, no, my life isn't the same without you. We need you here with us..so don't you dare leave us all in the dark!" _

He felt a surge of energy, and he was in control of his body again. He closed his eyes, and saw all the Shepherds once again, pushing him forward, and smiled.

"I can hear them..my friends. My loved ones."

"STOP THIS AT ONCE!" The hierophant howled. "The dragon's grip cannot be broken! SILENCE those wretched voices! They are powerless! Frail! Insignificant! They are NOTHING!" He was shaking with rage as he howled these words.

Amadeus kept the smile plastered on his face. All his strength had returned, and he could feel his body coursing with magic he never knew he possessed.

Somehow, he just knew what to do. He held out his hand, and a stream of holy energy burst forth, knocking the hierophant back, and he leapt upwards.

He wasn't quite sure why, but something told him it was the thing to do.

Below him, he could hear the hierophant yelling.

"No….I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL!" The voice echoed up towards him.

Amadeus expected gravity to do its work and pull him down, but he felt himself floating, up and up, until he saw a shred of light.

His head popped out over the swirling abyss that he'd fallen into, much to Chrom's surprise.

"Why hello there." He said calmly as he reached the surface. Chrom gave him a look that was as much a grin as it was a grimace.

"Amadeus..glad you're back. But...I'm still weakened by whatever spell Grima used.." Chrom was still on his knees, unable to get up.

Amadeus was about to mention how great he felt, until he realized that as soon as he'd returned to the surface, the magical power that he'd been imbued with while under Grima's spell had gradually worn off; while Chrom was talking, it had gone completely, and his limbs felt heavy as lead once more.

"You're..right.." he muttered as he fell back to the ground.

"Ngh..we can't..fight anyone like this.." Amadeus could see the defeat starting to form in Chrom's eyes. "Their numbers will overwhelm us...and even if they don't...we'd be sitting ducks for the dragon itself in our current state.."

"No! Chrom..we have to..believe. We've made it this far.." Amadeus wasn't sure what else to say.

"But...what can we do..it's just the two of us up here. Weakened, handicapped, and without strength...how can we win?"

Amadeus was thinking for an answer, before he suddenly smiled.

"That's..how." He pointed his finger behind Chrom, and upwards.

Chrom turned and saw the floating figure of Naga once more. She had materialized while he was talking.

"Never abandon hope! Now, Awakener, take my power! Take it, and rid this world of the fell dragon once more!" She raised her hands, and Amadeus could feel the holy magic cleansing his body.

When the tingling sensation had gone, Amadeus admitted to himself that he'd never felt better in his life. Judging by how Chrom had sprung back up into action, he felt the same way. The two nodded, and drew their weapons.

Falchion glowed blue. Amadeus' tome crackled.

"Now..let's end this."

"My pleasure, Chrom. Dinner says I'll get more than you."

"Ha! You're on." The two braced for the oncoming Grimleal assault. The sixteen advanced from the wings, closing in and forming a ring around the two warriors.

"Thoron!" The crackling tome spewed out electricity, eliminating two.

_Fourteen more. _

Chrom leapt forward into a somersault, bringing Falchion down as he landed and back upwards as he maneuvered out of the roll. Two Grimleal sighed, and fell to the floor, and the battle started in earnest.

Amadeus held his lance in one hand, using it to parry and thrust at Grimleal who got too close. He lost a lot of strength from carrying it in one hand as opposed to two, but was finishing off most of the Grimleal with his magic, anyways. Chrom had become a whirling dervish; all Amadeus could really make out was the weaving blue blade, hewing through skin and bone.

The first group didn't last long.

"Well..that was easy." Chrom said as he wiped his forehead of sweat.

"Yea..too easy…" Amadeus could feel it. Something was wrong…

And then he saw it. Sixteen new Grimleal had taken the place of the sixteen from the beginning.

"Gods! Those are teleportation portals...Grima must be teleporting in his followers as we cut them down! Amadeus! There's no way we could kill all of them...you saw how massive their numbers were at Orkul."

Amadeus nodded, thinking furiously.

"Yes...we'd be crushed by sheer weight of numbers."

_Now where have I heard that before? Why don't the good guys ever have a numbers advantage…_

He quickly brushed the thought away.

"Amadeus? Any plans?"

"No time! We have to advance forward...but take care of the groups that keep coming. Once we reach the hierophant..we kill him and end this for good."

Chrom nodded. It wasn't much of a plan; both knew that. But it was the only one that they had.

Naga appeared once more.

"Hear my words. Awakener! Grima's servants will beset you to no end...your only hope is to dispatch Grima himself as quickly as possible! Once he is weakened...the same choice is available to you. Either of you may strike the final blow..I leave that decision to you." She faded out of the sky once more. Her words confirmed Amadeus' plan.

"Remember what you promised, Amadeus." Chrom looked his tactician in the eye.

Amadeus didn't back down. For once, he could look Chrom in the eye without shame, without regret for his failures.

"Yes."

_I will make up for them all today. _

"We do have to make it there first, though. That won't be easy."

Chrom allowed himself a hint of a smile.

"We can do it."

The Grimleal closed in.

Amadeus and Chrom began their methodical march forward. They would advance whenever they had a brief respite from cutting down Grimleal, and fought furiously to hold their ground. They knew they couldn't give any away..

Their armored feet dug into the dragon's back, and blades crashed above them. Magic flew through the air, the crackle of the artificial elements blending in with the lightning that forked from the sky. They fought with a combination of skill and desperation, sometimes blocking two, three, even four stabs and slashes at once with their blades.

The Grimleal could land nary a blow, and were cut down like flies. The two friends had become blurs of color wielding weapons, striking down the Grimleal with a fearsome intensity.

"How...much farther...do you think we..have..to go?" Chrom managed to gasp out between pants and slashes of his sword.

"Cover me...I'll take a quick look."

Amadeus turned his back to survey the field. Or, more accurately, the dragon's back. They had made it about halfway to the hierophant, who stood watching them with a gleeful smirk on his face.

_Can't he tell that these Grimleal are no match for us? _

He shook off the thought and turned back, just in time to see a sword blade thrust towards his face. He deftly dodged and reflexively brought his lance tip up and through his attacker's stomach. Shaking off the lifeless corpse, he addressed Chrom.

"About..halfway. We'll be fine." Another strike, and another parry, and another Grimleal slid off the dragon's back, dead.

"Nrgh! Their numbers really are endless...how many do you think we've cut down?"

Amadeus shook his head.

"Clearly, not enough!" They turned their focus back towards the relentless assault that bore down on them.

_Two steps back. _

_Plant feet. _

_Parry. _

_Thrust. _

_Thunder. _

_Two more steps back. _

They had become machines of war, hewing through countless Grimleal.

Suddenly, Amadeus felt a chill behind him.

_It's him..._

He turned his back to the assault, not caring anymore that they could stab him in the back.

"YOU!" He pointed his lance threateningly at the hierophant, who merely chuckled.

"Yes, me." The Grimleal's attention seemed to suddenly turn to their leader at this point, and all fighting ceased. Chrom looked relieved for the break, but then he noticed who was behind them. His eyes narrowed, and he gripped his sword ever more tightly.

"This ends today, Grima! Your reign of terror is over….and not short enough it was!" Amadeus drew his lance, and Chrom hurried to his side, his blade out and ready as well.

"Mwa ha ha ha…" The hierophant glowed purple with dark power, and his voice suddenly seemed as if it came from the very dragon they were on. "Return to me...we are one and the same…"

Amadeus' only response was to take a step forward, lance in one hand and tome in the other.

"Very well then…" The hierophant raised a hand, and Amadeus felt the bones that he was standing on vibrate. The dragon suddenly reared its head so that it was facing them.

Six beady red eyes stared straight at Amadeus and Chrom. The horns pointed at them, ready to pierce their bodies at a moment's notice.

The great mouth opened and unleashed a deafening roar.

The two warriors didn't back down.

"Chrom..this is it. Our final battle."

No other words needed to be spoken.

The dragon's head reared back, and the mouth opened again. Purple spikes suddenly jutted out from the dragon's back, speeding towards Amadeus and Chrom's feet. They leapt to their sides, dodging the blow, and tried to advance on the hierophant.

Around and around they went. There was no escape, not that they wanted to escape anyways; the remaining Grimleal had formed a ring around the three combatants, and it was a fight to the death.

None could land even a single blow. Anytime Amadeus or Chrom got close, they would be pushed back by the eruption of another row of purple spikes from the creatures back. The dragon's head itself breathed fire, eliminating any semblance of a strategy to attack; the creature was brutal, but smart; its fire was strategically placed to take away any vulnerable angles that the dragon could see, but the hierophant could not. To top it off, the hierophant himself was shooting bolts of dark magic at the two. All in all, they were spending more time leaping, rolling, and parrying the supernatural energies that strived to smite them.

Chrom lifted his blade again, sloughing away a bolt of purple.

"Amadeus! This isn't working...we need to get in closer!"

Amadeus nodded.  
"Chrom..I'm trying.." He rolled to dodge a breath of fire, and channeled the tome in his robe into his hands. "Thoron!" The hierophant dodged the ray of thunder, but the dragon was right behind him. The thunder bore straight towards the head of the beast...

And didn't do anything. It simply evaporated as it neared the dragon.

"W-what was that?"

The hierophant cackled madly once more.

"You think you could slay the fell dragon with mere _magic? Nothing _can penetrate the skin of the fell dragon…"

_So we need to kill you. Works for me. _

"Chrom! I have an idea." Amadeus pointed to the center of the ring formed by the Grimleal, and Chrom understood. Still dodging the firebolts from the dragon and the dark spheres from the cackling hierophant, the two friends met at the spot that Amadeus had pointed out. Once there, they turned to face the hierophant, and began a slow, methodical march forward.

The dragon, seeing the two advancing, shot a bolt of fire to stop their advance, trying to ignite the area in front of them. Only, Amadeus had been expecting it. On his nod, he and Chrom sprinted forward and rolled underneath the arcing flame at the last possible moment. As a result, the flame had formed another ring, concentric to the one formed by the Grimleal. Only, this one was considerably smaller. In such close quarters, the dragon couldn't fire his flame, nor shoot his spikes. There was too much risk of friendly fire.

Amadeus smiled as the dragon roared and bellowed fiercely, unable to attack.

_That worked out better than I expected. _

He could feel a smile forming on his lips, and he could see one on Chrom's face from the corner of his eyes.

_It's all about to end…_

They stepped forward towards the hierophant, who took a step back, all while firing more dark energy from his fingers. In such close quarters, they didn't even bother dodging. Chrom simply parried away the blows with Falchion, now imbued with Naga's power, and Amadeus simply blasted away the dark spheres with crackling spheres of his own.

"No...NOOOO!" The hierophant suddenly took a step forward, sending out a pulse of energy. Amadeus and Chrom barely ducked in time, and felt it pass over their heads. Seeing an opening, Amadeus reached out his lance…

And felt it puncture skin.

The hierophant took two steps backwards, staggering as he looked at the lance growing out of his stomach.

"Ngh...agh…." He fell to his knees, immobilized. A cage of snapping purple smoke seemed to be appearing around him, and the head of the dragon seemed to be immobilized along with its master.

"Amadeus! Now's our chance! I'm going to end it, now!" Chrom yelled.

Amadeus nodded.

Chrom made to sprint forward, pulling out Falchion…

And then Amadeus stuck out his foot and tripped the Prince of Ylisse, grabbing Falchion and stabbing it through Chrom's cloak and into the dragon's back, pinning him to the spot.

"AMADEUS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Chrom yelled at the tactician, who calmly advanced on the frozen hierophant. Amadeus looked back at the man who had taken him in, the man who had given him a new purpose in life, the man who had changed his fate.

"I'm doing what I owe you." And he turned his back to the prince, drawing his tome for the last time.

"AMADEUS! NO! WHAT ARE YOU-"

Amadeus' hand raised, brimming with magical energy. He wavered for a second.

"Grima...I don't know if you can hear me. But for once...I'm glad that we are one and the same. I'm glad that I can give my life to protect those I love.." He paused.

And brought his hand down. The beam of yellow pierced through the hierophant's chest. The dragon's head let out another deafening roar, before it fell backwards, limp and lifeless. The hierophant staggered backwards, his purple life essence draining out of the gaping hole in his chest, before he fell to his knees and disappeared into a cloud of glittering purple stardust.

Amadeus smiled as he saw the fruits of his efforts.

Then he felt it. He could see it, first. Everything seemed to be shaking...he looked down at his hands. They were fading, eroding into the same, sparkling violet cloud that the hierophant had dissolved into.

"So this is how I die…"

_I guess I'll slowly fade away. Physically...but I know I won't fade from anyone's memories. And that is how I will live on. _

"NO! Amadeus, NO!"

He turned to face Chrom.

Chrom, the man who had found him in the desert. The man who had taken him in, without any hesitation. The man who had accepted his failures, and not blamed him for it.

"Chrom...thank you."

"Amadeus...why? What am I going to tell the others? What am I going to tell Cordelia, and your daughters?" Amadeus could see a tears forming on his friend's face. He hadn't seen him cry since Emmeryn's death.

"Chrom…" He reached out a fading arm.

Amadeus smiled, this time a true smile full of happiness and peace.

"Chrom, ever since I woke up in this world, from the beginning of my memory, I've lived in a haze. I had no idea of my past. I had no idea what I was raised to be in this world. I wasn't one of the Shepherds, not really. I wasn't brought up in Ylisse with the rest of you. But you took me in. And we started working together, and that brought me some degree of clearness within the haze…" He paused to look at his now fading chest. "But then we started fighting, and my plans didn't always work. And the haze returned. What right did I have to be sacrificing the lives of those who died? What right did I have to still be your right hand man after I failed to save your sister? And all the doubts returned, and my mind returned to a foggy, confused state." His chest was completely gone now, and all that was left was his head.

Chrom was sobbing unabashedly now.

"Chrom, you need to stay strong. Don't cry for me; you need to be strong for the others. They take strength from you. This decision...was one I had to make. To make up for anything in my past, as Validar's child. To make up for what my bloodline has done in the past, no matter how long ago. In some ways, I share the blame. But most importantly, this is for you, and all the Shepherds. My last thoughts will be of them.." His face began to glitter with the purple glow.

"For once, I can close my eyes and see without doubts, without fear. For once, my mind has clarity...thank you, Chrom. And...before I go...please give the letters in my cloak to my family." His face was almost gone now.

"May we meet again, in a better life."

And then he was gone. His robe fluttered to the ground, and Chrom finally managed to get the sword out of the dragon's back and to get back on his feet. He slowly stepped towards the robe and, still sobbing, picked it up.

A flash of light, and Naga appeared.

"Awakener...I see that the choice has been made. Congratulations...now let me bring you back to your people."

Chrom nodded through his tears, and closed his eyes.

* * *

_They should be back by now...what could be taking them so long?_

A loud roar from the dragon startled her from her thoughts, and she jumped.

"What was that, Mother?"

She shook her head.

"I don't know, Morgan." She looked up at the great dragon, in time to see the head dropping limp. "Wait…" She pointed upwards and yelled to the general area. "Look! Above! The dragon! Is it..slain?"

Everyone's attention turned skywards. The purple lighting made it hard to see, but their excited voices confirmed what her eyes had seen. It seemed as if the dragon had gone limp.

_They've...won. They've won! Now, Amy...come back down to me, and we can live normal, peaceful lives together. _

She smiled broadly as this thought passed through her mind.

"Mommy? Does that mean we've won?" Severa asked.

"Yes, dear...now we just have to wait for Father and Chrom to get back down here. Then we can celebrate for real!" She wanted to stop smiling, but she couldn't help it.

_I can't even remember when I've ever been this happy..except for times with him. And now we'll be able to have those times whenever we wish...oh, life has never been better. _

But a little voice whispered in her head.

_But what if he struck the final blow? Then he won't come back, right? And you'll be all alone…_

_No! He...he wouldn't. He promised me he'd come back…_

She mentally brushed the voice away.

_He will be back. _

She looked up once more, and the dragon seemed to be descending lifelessly. Its wings were no longer beating, and it spiraled through the sky in a downward arc, crashing on the plains below.

_It's...dead. It is over!_

Then there was a familiar flash of light in the center of the camp.

_There...there he is…_

She sprinted towards the flash, but only saw one figure in the light.

_No…_

"A….Amy?" She whispered.

The figure stepped out.

He had blue hair, and his shoulder was emblazoned with the brand of the Exalt. In his hands, he held a set of familiar robes…

"Amy….NO!" She yelled out as she ran towards Chrom. Severa and Morgan followed, and he gently gave her the cloak, before stepping back respectfully.

She sat there, sobbing into the cloak and heaving with the weight of her anguish.

"Cordelia….I'm sorry. There's something I need to explain to you...and your family."

She looked up at him, the man she used to long for, and her eyes pleaded for comfort about the man that she longed for now.

"He...Naga told us, when we were at the altar on Mount Prism, that either of us could strike the final blow on Grima. If I did...then Grima would simply go back to sleep, and return in a few millennia. However, if Amadeus struck the final blow….then Grima would be dead forever. Since Amadeus and Grima were technically the same person...it would be as if Grima killed himself. And so he would be forever banished…"

And then Cordelia knew.

_He probably didn't tell Chrom...and then he sacrificed himself for the rest of us._

A wave of fresh tears burst out of her eyes as Chrom patted her shoulder reassuringly before backing off. She felt something in the robes as she sobbed into them. She reached a shaking hand into one of the pockets, and pulled out three letters.

One was marked to her. The other two were marked for their children. And then she remembered the two girls behind her.

_He'd want me to be strong for the children. No more grieving...at least not now. I will grieve alone later...I will stay strong for our children, Amy. And I will wait for your return…_

She wiped away her tears and stood up. Severa and Morgan were still sobbing, out of control.

"Father...no! Why...why would he do this?" Using one arm, Cordelia pulled Morgan into it so that she could sob into her mothers chest.

"Daddy...you promised me! You promised me no more sad farewells.." Cordelia pulled Severa in with her other arm.

"Shh...it's going to be alright. Daddy's only going to be away for a little bit…" She paused as tears began forming again, and her gauntleted hand wiped them away. "Naga said that if our bonds are strong enough,

The rest of the Shepherds slowly gathered, having seen the flash and realized that Chrom and Amadeus must have returned.

As they milled about, many noticed the absence of the tactician. They also noticed his two young daugheters sobbing unashamedly into their mother's chest…

"Shepherds...this war, the final war, is ended." Their attention turned back towards Chrom. "Never again will the fell dragon trouble our world...I owe you all for more than what I can repay. Especially Amadeus, who gave his life so that we could live ours in peace...so I urge all of you to remember who we lost today, as you return to your homes. Remember the price of the peace we hold now...and do not let it go in vain. Now, let us make for Ylisstol." He turned to address the grieving family directly. "I am sorry, Cordelia, Morgan, Severa. He promised me, as well, that he wouldn't strike the final blow…." Chrom wiped away another tear. "He gave his life to save not only our world, but all worlds to come. But there is one thing...Naga said that if the bonds we had made with Amadeus were strong enough, he may yet return to this world. He may be out there, waiting for us to find him...I promise the three of you that I will find him."

As the Shepherds dispersed, all stopped by to give words of encouragement at this new revelation.

"Amadeus is too strong to simply disappear. He will return to us."

"He lives. I know it..some just aren't the dying sort. He will return."

"He showed us all that the future can be changed...and he will rewrite fate once more."

Cordelia nodded her thanks at the words, but they were just that. Words.

_Words won't bring him back...only our bonds can now. _

* * *

The march home was a somber one. When they made camp, most would stick to their families, and there was less socializing than normal. An atmosphere of gloom permeated through the camp, and Cordelia knew why.

She'd always known that her husband was popular in the camp; everyone had some sort of personal story to tell about him. It was one of the reasons she fell in love with him.

She laughed as she remembered it was also one of the reasons that she held herself back from him; she was worried that she wouldn't stack up to all the competition she saw in camp.

Her face dropped as her mind flashed back to her memories with him.

In a few days, they reached Ylisstol. Chrom had told Cordelia that she was free to stay in Amadeus' room, as it was hers as well. She knew that it was his way of conveying support for her, and his way of saying that Amadeus would be back.

She unpacked her things and helped the kids unpack, before they left to meet with the others. Cordelia stayed behind, wanting some time to herself.

She needed to think. Since that day, she'd become a tangled web of emotions that she couldn't even comprehend.

_If only he were here...he understands me._

She sat on the foot of the bed, and began to unpack his belongings. He traveled light, and there were a couple cloaks, smallclothes, all the necessities along with a few books, and nothing else.

She took out the cloak he'd worn that final day. She hugged it close to her, smelling his scent in it and feeling his presence through it.

Then she remembered the letters again. Her hand started shaking as she took out the one addressed to her, and put the two for their children aside.

She carefully opened the envelope and unfolded the parchment.

_To my dearest Cordelia…_

* * *

Morgan was sad, but optimistic.

_Chrom said that if our bonds were strong enough, then he'd come back, right? _

_I'm sure our bonds are...everyone seems to like him so much. He has to come back! He wouldn't leave us behind, and he wouldn't leave Mother behind either! _

_He will definitely be back. _

She looked up at her mother. Since the day that Amadeus had died, she had seemed to become drained and listless. Her smiles seemed forced, and everything seemed to have become a slog for her.

_Alright, then. Until you come back, Father, it'll be my job to keep Mother happy. _

"Mother!" She grabbed Cordelia's hand. "Come on, let's go for a ride or something, get some fresh air. I want to spend some time with you."

Cordelia smiled, and this one bore the hint of a true smile.

"Alright, dear. I'm glad you want to spend some time with your Mother."

Morgan led her off towards the stables, and she followed.

* * *

Severa was angry, and couldn't sleep. The sun would be up soon, but she still struggled with her thoughts, as she had all night.

_Why did he leave me behind? I traveled all this way back home to find him...and then he just leaves me! Unbelievable. What kind of father does that...I don't see any of the other fathers leaving their kids behind! Ugh. Just my luck I get stuck with the one who has to be so noble and save the entire human race…_

She crossed her arms and could feel her lower lip extending in a pout. Was she really angry?

_Of course I am. He left me! He ditched me here, alone. _

_But he can come back. And he saved you from ever having to fight again, and the rest of your family is here to support you until he comes back. _

_But he's not coming back! He's dead! _

_But Naga said that if our bonds were strong enough, he could-_

_NO! If our bonds were that strong, he wouldn't have left me!_

_Severa...are you really angry at him? You know he did it for the greater good...for you, Morgan, and your mother. _

Severa sighed. The voice in her head almost always won…

_I know..I just..miss him._

She jumped as she felt a hand make its way around her.

"Severa, honey?" She looked up to see her mother, with Morgan in tow. They were covered in straw and hay. "Is everything okay?"

She shook her head vigorously before throwing herself into her mother's arms.

"Why did Daddy have to die? It's not _fair_! Everyone else gets to keep their dads...but I don't get to keep mine? We all came back to see you guys again! And now I lose mine just because my dad's _noble_? It's not fair!" She sobbed into Cordelia's chest.

Cordelia patted her hair comfortingly.

"I know. Just as it's not fair for you to lose your father, it wasn't fair for me to lose my husband...but sometimes life just isn't fair. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made...and like everyone has said, there's a chance he comes back. Don't you trust in your bond with your father, Severa? If you do, then you can be sure he will make his way back."

"But we don't _know _that for sure!"

"Well, we can look for him every day to return."

Morgan's eyes lit up at this.

"Oh! Mother, can we?" Morgan tugged at Severa, and the two looked up at their mother with puppy dog looks on their faces.

She relented, although of course it was what she wanted to do as well.

"Of course. We'll watch from the ramparts every morning for him to come back, starting from right now. How does that sound?"

"Yay!" The two cheered.

Cordelia looked down at the children, having finally come to a realization.

_Even if you don't return...I know now what to do. Just like you finally found clarity in your path...now I have found mine. I will stay strong for our children..so that they will know what you died fighting for, and they will understand your sacrifice. I will take care of them for us...at least until you return. _

_Come back to me, my love. _

A smile forming on her lips, she followed the two children as they ran towards the walls of Ylisse, and up the stairs that led to the ramparts.

They found a comfortable spot, and began their daily vigil.

* * *

**Phew! That took a while to write. Sorry for the slower update, by the way; it's been a pretty busy week for me. Anyways, this isn't the last chapter, but we can see what happens in the end! I'm sure all of you knew that Amadeus was simply hiding everything from everyone, so that none of them would worry. And then he did what he felt he had to. **

**And the meaning in the title is revealed. I don't think I did a great job...but think of it in terms of Amadeus' own death. He willingly ends his own life because he is satisfied with everything he has achieved; killing Grima for good is what he defines himself by. If we stay true to our own view of ourselves, and do what we think we need to do to contribute to the world, then our path forward is clear. Cordelia hints at this at the end too; she realizes that Amadeus didn't give his life for them to mope and be sad about him; yes, they'll be sad, but they'll make his gift more worthwhile if they take advantage of the life that he has given them, indirectly. And so she finds her purpose, giving her path more clarity. **

**Hope that's not too much of a stretch for you guys, and that you can understand it. I built it mostly off of Amadeus' self-doubt; he never truly feels like he deserves the praise that people heap upon him, he never feels like he deserves Cordelia, and most of all, he feels guilty for his past failures, especially to Chrom. So this finally lets him free himself from all those doubts and mental chains, giving him a degree of clarity that he never experienced before.**

**So yeah, there's the "ending". Obviously, it's not over. However, I _am _debating what scenes I want to put in between the current time and Amadeus' return, if any. Enjoy, and thanks for staying with me through this ride! **

**Aqua: Thanks for the compliment! Stick along; I've had a summer scramble chapter planned, and I'll make sure to put it in as one of the chapters after Amadeus comes back. **

**Jozern: Hope this didn't let you down! I tried to make the battle as dramatic as possible..but it's hard when most of the readers probably already know what's going to happen. Hopefully, there's enough surprises to make it worth your time. **

**Wolves-of-insanity: Yes, I remember doing that too! I actually started the game on a 16 hour plane ride..and promptly played it until my DS ran out of battery. So, I was pretty engrossed in the storyline as well. Hope my story doesn't spoil the ending for you..(which means I hope you're done with the game by now :P)**

**Flipnhaole: Yes, it's a tragic ending, but it's not over yet! Severa will be happy...or, well, we all know how her initial reaction to her father returning will be. But in actuality, she'll be happy, she'll just need to express it in the snarkiest, most defiant way possible to her father. **

**So there! Next chapter, I'm not sure what's going to happen yet. Either a short one-shot scene with Amadeus' family coping without him, or Amadeus' return. Let me know in the comments if anyone has a preference, and I'll try to keep that in account! (I have plans for both, so either would work). **

**Please R&R!**

**I'm also changing the summary statement. I feel like I need to be clearer in that with the direction of the story now that it's been devleloped. Not a big deal, but just letting everyone know. **

**:)**


	20. Chapter 19

Three months had passed since the final battle. Ylisse had reveled in the victory over the fell dragon, and celebrations were still going on throughout the city.

Cordelia was relaxing in her room in the castle, reading one of the many books that Amadeus had left behind. She couldn't find it in herself to celebrate with the others; only the Shepherds knew the price that had been paid, and how it affected her so.

There was a light knock on the door, and her daughters came in.

"Mommy, do you know what tomorrow is?"

Cordelia knew; she'd been thinking about it ever since..

_Ever since he died. _

"Yes, dear. What should we do to celebrate?"

"Hm..how about we spend all day watching today? Instead of just the morning? And we can talk about all our memories with him…" Severa's voice trailed off as tears formed on her face once again.

Cordelia reached out a hand to wipe away her daughter's tears, while at the same time willing herself not to cry.

"That sounds good. But don't cry. Daddy sacrificed himself so that you and Morgan could have a world where you would never cry again...he'd be sad if he knew you were crying right now."

Severa sniffled and wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"I...I know that! I'm not crying! Something got in my eye!" She roughly pushed her mother's hand away and folded her arms across her chest. "And you didn't even remember that tomorrow was his birthday! You didn't mention anything until I told you just now." Her eyes glared accusingly at her mother, who sighed.

"I know...I didn't want to remind you and Morgan. I was scared that..we'd all miss him so much more than we do already…" She blinked back the tears that began forming. "I didn't want to bring all the attention back to losing your father...because..I miss him too.." She couldn't hold back the tears anymore, and sobbed quietly into her arm.

_Why haven't you returned? It's been months…_

"Mother! Don't worry..Father will return! I know it. Just..I'm not sure when. But he will! He'll figure out a way back. I'm sure of it." Morgan hugged her mother tightly, and Cordelia couldn't help but smile at her optimism.

"Morgan..you really are a ray of hope in times of despair."

Morgan shook her head.

"I'm not just being a ray of hope! I really mean it! Watch, he'll show up tomorrow. He won't miss his birthday, especially the cake that they'll serve!"

* * *

_He was breathing softly. He had an ugly spear wound in his stomach, but he would heal. _

_She'd almost lost it when she had seen him with the spear sticking out of his stomach. How could he die on her? She hadn't even gotten to tell him how she really felt for him…_

_And now here he was, the spear gone. Her eyes followed his chest, watching as it rose and fell, confirming that the man that she had fallen in love with was still alive. _

_She had decided. She wouldn't leave his side until he woke up. And once he woke up...she'd tell him how he felt. _

_And then he jumped awake. _

"_NO! CHROM?!" He winced, and lay back down in pain. She left after he told her to get Chrom; they probably had something important to talk about. _

_After Chrom entered the tent, she took a deep breath. _

_This time, Cordelia. You're not going to miss out on such an amazing man...just tell him how you feel about him. Just tell him..that you're in love with him. _

_She took a deep breath, running over the words in her mind that she'd gotten from that book, Make Him Fall For You in a Fortnight. Granted, it hadn't worked on Chrom, but maybe Amadeus was different…_

_And then Chrom left the tent, nodding at her as he passed. She barely even noticed; she had suddenly gone dizzy with the weight of what she was about to do. _

_What if he says no..? What then? What will become of our relatiohship...he's the only real friend I have, other than Sumia..._

_She pushed open the tent flap and entered. _

* * *

Cordelia woke, rubbing her eyes. The flashback that had been her dream was so vivid...she smiled a little as she curled into the blanket, where Amadeus' body used to sleep.

She hadn't, of course, told him how she felt. He'd ended up pouring out his doubts about the loss of life he'd caused on the sea..she'd come close. She'd hinted at it, when she said that she believed in him..but then she'd been unable to continue. It was one of her regrets...maybe if she'd just told him right then and there, they could have had a couple weeks more to be together.

_And then maybe we could have had our wedding before he left…._

She absentmindedly fingered the ring on her left hand. She refused to take it off; it was her way of tacitly showing her belief that Amadeus would return.

_But..it's been so long...what if our bonds weren't strong enough? What if-_

A knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Come in."

"Mother! You're late! Come on, let's go!" Morgan bound across the room and pulled her out of bed.

"Alright, alright, dear. Your mother isn't getting any younger..and she needs her sleep."

"Psh. You're probably just there dreaming about Dad, aren't you." Severa stood at the doorway, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Well..yes, actually. I do miss him."

* * *

They watched the sun rise above them, splashing the black canvas with its brilliant yellow rays.

Three people huddled on the ramparts together.

"Happy Birthday, Father," Morgan whispered.

"Daddy...happy birthday," Severa mouthed.

"Happy birthday...my love.." Cordelia said, her eyes out on the distance.

_I'm waiting for you, Amy. _

They sat back on their customary spots, eating the breakfast that they had brought with them. They munched quietly on their biscuits and sipped their water, eyes straining on the horizon. Whenever they would spot a figure, they would sit up straighter, straining their eyes even more, only to be disappointed when it was merely a traveler or other guest to Ylisse, or just a passerby.

The day passed on, and still they sat on the ramparts, recalling memories and good times with Amadeus.

"I remember one time on these ramparts..Daddy was teaching me how to shoot a bow." Severa suddenly said. "He was so patient...I was so bad at it, too. I remember he set up a target, and stood about ten paces away. He stayed down there to fetch arrows for me, so I tried to hit the target. Well..let's just say I'm glad that those arrows were blunted." She laughed. "But Daddy never got mad at me...for that entire day, he would pick up the arrows I shot, bring them back up, and then walk back down. And he never complained...and after that, he took us all out to dinner, and told you guys how good I was with the bow. He totally lied! I was terrible..but he knew that it would make me feel better if he spoke of me on good terms. I was mad at him at first for lying..but then I realized he just wanted me to be happy." She started crying. "So many times...he just wanted me to be happy. And I didn't let him..I would just be snarky and mean and an airhead...I just didn't realize how hard he was trying to make me happy.."

Cordelia patted Severa comfortingly.

"That's just the person he is, honey. It's why he's so amazing...he gives so much to others, and he asks for so little in return. He just wants to be friends, and he'll do anything for those he cares about. And he just understands people...he knows how to cheer them up, and when they need it. But he never asks that from anyone else."

"I know! I remember Father teaching me to be a tactician...we used to play chess all the time. He'd always win, but every time, he would tell me that I was getting better. He would tell me, every time, that I was 'getting closer' and the he was having to try harder and harder to not let me win..and when I beat him for the first time, he just smiled and said 'You got me". I thought he let me win, but he just kept telling me that I'd beat him fair and square. I'll never know if I did...but that made me so happy. It's always been my dream to be a tactician just like him...and he knew how to make me feel that way. He..always made me happy." She leaned onto her mother, and cried softly as well.

At some point during their recollections, the moon had taken the sun's place, bathing them in a soft silver glow.

"It's getting late...we should probably head home." Cordelia pulled the two girls up. "Come on!"

They slowly walked down the steps to the ramparts, each trying to hide their disappointment. They had been so ready to leap into his arms as he triumphantly returned through the gates…

"Wait! Mother, I have an idea!" Morgan suddenly shouted out. "If it's not too late...why don't we go get Father a birthday present? We can give it to him when he comes back..just so that he knows we didn't forget about him while he was gone!"

Cordelia nodded agreement.

"Of course! That's a great idea, Morgan. Let's see what shops are still open…and no, Severa, we're not shopping for you."

Severa stamped her foot indignantly.

"I never _said _I wanted to go shopping! Although there _was _this really cute dress…"

* * *

They had bought him a new cloak. Cordelia had realized that he pretty much wore only his same cloak all the time (the one she called his "grubby old cloak"), and she thought that when he came back, he'd be glad to have a new cloak.

_Actually..I'm just not going to let him touch that old cloak anymore. He made me wait so long for him to come back...it's only fair that I get to make him stop wearing that cloak. It's too old and gross anyways._

She tucked the kids in before returning to her room, clutching the cloak that they'd bought him. It was made of fine silk, and was of much higher quality than any clothes that he would ever purchase for himself. She sighed as she lay in their bed and pulled the cloak closer to her, tears springing from her eyes.

She hadn't allowed herself to cry in front of the children. Ever since that day, when she'd promised him that she would be strong for the children, she had rarely shed a tear in front of the children. But every night, when she retired to their bed, alone, the tears would come. She would remember the feel of him sleeping next to her, the feel of his warm body against her back, his arms around her waist, and her head resting on his chest.

_I promised you I'd stay strong...but who am I kidding? I'm just faking it in front of everyone...every time I'm alone, I cry..I just miss you, Amadeus. Where are you? What are you doing? Are you okay? Are you somewhere out there? If you are, why aren't you back yet? You told me you loved me, and you promised you'd return in your letter...I don't know how much longer I can pretend. I can't be strong without someone to guide me and support me..and that used to be you. But how can I keep that up when you're not here? _

A fresh wave of tears overcame her, and she silently cried herself to sleep.

* * *

It had been a year since the final battle. An epid celebration had been prepared, and the holiday had been named the Day of Peace, in memorandum of the fact that the fell dragon would never return. While the city-wide affair was jubilant and excessive, the Shepherds tempered their celebrations. They remembered the loss that the victory had cost, and they had gradually lost hope of Amadeus' return as the year had gone by. Their celebrations were somber, meeting in a small bar and quietly reliving their best memories of Amadeus. Cordelia had barely been able to make herself leave the room that day.

_All these people celebrating..they don't realize. They have no idea! They should be celebrating Amadeus, and his sacrifice for them...instead, they celebrate this peace, and give no mention to the one who brought it about! _

_How can they celebrate when someone is..gone? _She felt her eyes stinging again, and she wiped it away on her sleeve.

She saw someone take a seat next to her. He was dressed immaculately, in the robes of a noble. He had quite a paunch..and wasn't the most fit person in the room.

"Um..can I help you, sir?" She blinked rapidly, trying to hide her tears, before plastering a fake, polite smile on her face.

_Gods, I hate dealing with nobles. _

He turned to the bartender. "

"Ay, sir, let me buy a drink for this pretty lady here." He gestured at Cordelia, who sighed as she realized what was going on.

"I'm sorry, sir, but..I'm engaged." She held up her left hand and the glistening gem on it.

"Ha! To some man who's disappeared off the face of the planet for a year? Still holding out hope that he'll return?" He turned back to the bartender, who was looking confused. "Two mugs of rum, please." The bartender nodded and turned to his various spirits.

"Yes. He will return...and anyways, I'm not looking for a replacement." She narrowed her eyes icily at him.

"Bah! But a girl as pretty as you needs a man to take care of her...a man such as I! I am the Archduke of Barasstol, Fandral."

Cordelia's expression didn't change.

"So what? I have a man..and you don't compare to him at all. If he were here-"

"But he's NOT here, is he?" The duke burst out laughing in a decidedly un-noble manner. "So, what's a pretty lady like yourself doing in a bar?" He reached out to stroke her hair, and she slapped his hand away.

"Ugh, didn't you ever learn any manners? Keep your hands off me! I already told you, I'm taken, and even if I wasn't, I'm not interested!" She stood up. "And today? The anniversary of his passing? You _dare _to ask me today, of all days?" Her hands balled into fists.

The bar had gone quiet. Cordelia hadn't meant to raise her voice, but she had, and it had drawn the attention of everyone in the relatively small enclosement.

Duke Fandral merely laughed his booming laugh.

"Yes, this day! It is a joyous occasion, the anniversary of lifelong peace! Only a fool would deny me! I am the highest ranking official of our town, under only the king of Barasstol himself!"

Cordelia blanched.

_Ugh..politics. _

"I said no, Archduke Fandral. That is my final answer. I would hope you will honor it." She turned to leave.

"Ha! You pine for a man who has been long dead, milady. He is of little use to you..or anyone else, for that matter." He finished his drink and smacked his lips. "And what was he? A pathetic commoner who magically rose through the ranks to become a war hero...a good story, yes. But he is gone now! And for a year. Surely you must be past grieving by now? Surely you must be..shall we say, gravitating towards other men by now?"

She whirled around in fury.

"How _dare _you! How dare you suggest that my feelings have faded! And how dare you suggest he is a commoner! He is greater than you, or any of your kings, could ever hope to be; he did more for the world in a week than you will do in your entire lifetime!" Her arm reared back threateningly, before a soft touch loosened her tense muscles.

"Mother..Father wouldn't want this. You know that." Morgan had shown up. Cordelia sighed and lowered her arm.

"Yes..you're right, Morgan." She turned to address the duke. "My answer is no, Fandral. Deal with it."

"You can't just walk away from me!" Fandral got up noisily and pointed a chubby finger at her.

"Yes, she can." Chrom had entered the room. "If you have any complaints, you can take them up with me. I am the king of Ylisstol. Amadeus was my closest friend, and I his. I know he will return. And when he does...his wedding with Dame Cordelia has already been planned. He loves her with a fury..if I were you, I wouldn't chance that fury. Nor hers, as you've already seen." He nodded towards Cordelia, who tilted her head in gratitude.

She turned her heel and left the bar with Morgan in tow.

"How dare he…" But his words rang in her head.

_What was it he'd said? _

"_But he is gone now! And for a year." _

_Yes..a year is a long time. But he promised me! He must be coming back…_

She had no more desire to fake happiness for the celebration, and retired to her room to enter a fitful night of tossing and turning as she dueled with her thoughts.

_Will he ever come back to me? _

* * *

His eyes fluttered open.

"Ugh…." He quickly took stock of his surroundings. He was lying in a large field, in his smallclothes. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he realized that there was barely any.

_Huh. Must be dawn. _

_I need to get some clothes…_

He got up and meandered around the field until he saw a building. He approached the gates.

"Halt! Who goes there?" Two guards lowered their spears at him threateningly.

"Er...hang on. Where am I?"

"Southtown."

"Southtown...then I am only an hour's march from Ylisstol?"

The guard nodded suspiciously.  
"Yes...but what business would a vagrant like you have with the great city of Ylisstol?"

"Vagrant? Why.." He suddenly remembered his clothing. Or, rather, lack thereof.

"Yes, vagrant. What business would you have there?"

He sighed.

"Would you believe me if I told you that I am Amadeus, Chrom's tactician and right hand man?"

The guard guffawed.

"The Dragonslayer himself? The Harbringer of Peace? And I supposed you wander about in smallclothes...shocking the dragons to death with your body?"

Amadeus laughed.

_Yeah, I wouldn't believe me either. _

"I didn't expect you to believe me...anyways, could you be a kind soul and toss me some clothing? Anything will do..I can't expect to return to Ylisstol in my smallclothes, can I?"

The guard stuttered.

"I-B-but...we can't just give out clothes to random strangers!"

Amadeus ginned wickedly.

"And what if I _am _who I say I am? Chrom and Ylisstol woudn't be very happy if you refused me something as simple as some rags to cover myself, would they? And all you lose is some old, raggedy clothes..it's not much of a risk, is it?"

"I..alright. Stand guard while I fetch him some clothes." The guard turned and headed into the gates, while his companion kept his lance down and stayed alert.

"So...what's the date?" Amadeus asked the guard that remained.

"Er..it's been a year and a day since the fell dragon was slain, sir."

"A year? So I've been gone a year…" He drummed his fingers on his chin in thought. "Hmm.."

The guard that had left returned quickly and tossed Amadeus a cloak and pants.

"Thank you. Now, if I may, may I have your names? I must remember to repay those who have helped me when I get back to Ylisstol."

He committed their names to memory, and set off on the path back home. A smile flitted onto his face as he thought of who awaited him.

_Cordelia..it's been a while, but I'm coming back to you. _

* * *

She hadn't been able to sleep. Fandral's implications from the night before rang through her head.

_...he's been gone for a year. _

_Yes, so? Naga didn't set a timetable for him to return._

_But..how do we know he will? _

_Because our bonds are strong enough! He loves me too much to leave me behind…_

She shook her head, pushing away the thoughts that had kept her awake. Normally, she would wait for the children to come wake her up, but today, she decided that she would wake them up for their daily vigil on the ramparts.

She went to the adjacent room that Severa and Morgan shared. She gently shook Severa, who turned in annoyance, pushing her platinum curls out of her hair.

_The exact same color as her father…_

"Ugh...what?"

"Severa, honey, it's just me. Come on, now! Wake up. It's time to go look for Father." Severa huffed back into her pillow, but made to get up. Cordelia turned to the other bed, where Morgan slept, and shook her in the same manner.

"Mrf...Father..?" Morgan turned drowsily.

"No, it's just me, I'm afraid. But we're going to look for your Father again! It's time to go!"

* * *

The three slowly walked up the stairs, carefully balancing their breakfast. The sun had already risen, and they were bathed in its golden light.

"Mother...why did you get so angry yesterday at that man? I mean, I know a lot of men proposed to you..but you normally just politely decline."

Severa nodded; she wanted to know as well.

"Well..first off, he defamed your father. He said your father was a pathetic commoner who is worth nothing now…" Cordelia could feel her blood boiling just at the memory of it. "He thought he was better than your father. No one is. Your father is a great man, you two. Don't ever forget it."

The children nodded and lapsed into silence. Cordelia could slowly feel the lack of sleep from the night before catching up to her.

She closed her eyes for a moment, and was instantly asleep.

_She was on the dais...she looked down and saw that she was in a wedding gown. She looked up and across from her, on the other side of the altar, was a man...but it wasn't Amadeus. _

"_Do you, Cordelia, take Fandral as your lawfully wedded husband?" _

_She was in shock, and couldn't talk. _

_The priest's hand grabbed her shoulder. _

"_Hello? You there? Wake up! Come on! Mother!" The shaking got more and more vigorous.._

Cordelia woke with a start. Morgan and Severa were shaking her violently.

"MOTHER! WAKE UP! LOOK!" Morgan pointed out towards the horizon at a lone figure, trudging slowly up the path. It seemed to be looking around it the entire time as it walked…

_As if it has been away for a year. _

She gasped, and grabbed the children. They sprinted down the steps at a record pace, and rushed to the gate. The three waited impatiently for the door to open, and once it was opened just enough for them to fit through, they wriggled their way out and onto the road. The figure that they had seen looked up and recognized them, and he suddenly stood up straighter and ran towards them as well.

Morgan and Severa crashed straight into their father, showing no signs of slowing down. The three tumbled over onto the dirt path, laughing and smiling at their reunion.

Cordelia hung back a little to let her kids enjoy their father for a bit before she stepped in for her share.

"Cordelia!" Amadeus reached out to hug her.

She moved as if in a trance.

"What...were...you..._thinking?_" Each word was punctuated by a slap to the face or a punch to the stomach.

Amadeus gasped as he slowly gathered his breath.

"I..what?"

"You..._idiot! _I've missed you so much..and you didn't even _tell _me! You just _left _without so much of a say-so! I've missed you beyond anything for this past year…." She finally started sobbing, and he pulled her close, kissing her hair, feeling her in his arms.

"I know….and I'm sorry. But I did what I had to...and now I'm back."

She pulled back, smiling through her tears.

"Yes..now that you're back, we have some business to attend to!"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

She held up her left hand and pointed at the ring. Amadeus' eyes lit up.

"Oh. Yes, we do." He closed his eyes as he lowered his lips into hers.

* * *

Amadeus was nervous. He was dressed in a fancy suit; Chrom had donated it to him. The day he returned, there had been quite the ceremony. He had first gone to Chrom, before the rest of the Shepherds, and then the entire town knew he had returned. They quickly organized a celebratory feast for his return, and he was told that the day after the next would be his wedding.

Apparently, Cordelia had the whole thing planned out, and they had been ready to host it at a moment's notice; they just needed him to come back.

So that was how he had ended up here, in one of the side rooms of the great hall of Ylisstol's castle, dressed in a suit that he would never, _ever _wear.

"Ugh..Chrom, please tell me I don't look as ridiculous as I feel." He tugged at the tie, which felt as if it was strangling him.

"Oh, come on. You look great. Dashing, really. Cordelia's going to swoon the instant she sees you."

"...shut up." Chrom winked at him.

Stahl came in through the door.

"Guys? It's time to go." Chrom nodded, and Amadeus followed him out to the great hall. Amadeus stepped forward to the altar where Libra awaited.

_Where was Cordelia? _

Suddenly, music rang out. Amadeus turned and saw Stahl strumming the harp, accompanied by a small orchestra.

Then the hall doors opened, and Amadeus' mouth quite literally dropped to the ground.

Cordelia slowly entered the room, accompanied by her father. Her face was half-covered by a thin veil, on top of which sat a ruby-adorned, golden tiara, complementing her hair perfectly. Underneath the veil, he could see the wing clips that he'd gotten her at the hot springs. A lone white flower was pinned to her hair, just above her right ear.

The dress was a radiant white; it was almost as if all the light in the room was reflecting off of it. The edges were lined with a rose gold embroidery, turning into a grand, multi-layered skirt at her waist. Severa and Morgan trailed behind, holding the ends of her elaborate dress so that Cordelia wouldn't fall over.

Amadeus remained slack-jawed during her entire trip up the aisle, even as she took her place on the opposite side of the altar. She smiled at him, flashing that brilliant, beaming smile...and he couldn't help but remain a openmouthed dolt.

She reached over and pushed his chin up, closing his mouth. A quiet chuckle escaped the crowd at this.

Libra stepped forward from behind the altar, and began his part.

"We are gathered here today..to recognize the depth and beauty of the love that stands before us. We are here to celebrate the union..of Dame Cordelia and Amadeus."

The crowd tittered and clapped lightly.

Libra continued. The words droned in the background; all Amadeus could focus on was the stunning, beautiful face in front of him.

"...Do you, Amadeus, take Cordelia, as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

"And do you, Cordelia, take Amadeus, as your lawfully wedded husband?"

Amadeus could see her face flush.

"I do."

Libra smiled.

"Now, exchange vows."

Amadeus stepped forward.

"When I came into this world..I was lost and clueless. I didn't know who I was, or what purpose I had being here...and then I met you, Cordelia. You brought warmth into my life. You showed me how to appreciate myself...and in turn, to appreciate others. I am yours. I am wholly, and completely yours. Mind, body, and soul belong to you...I will never leave you again, for the rest of our days."

He took a step back, and could see that Cordelia's face was brimming with tears. His own eyes had started stinging as he said the words; he hadn't realized the depth of his own emotions for this woman.

Cordelia stepped forward.

"For a while...I thought nothing could ever warm my heart again. I had been rejected...and I had no one close to me who understood me. But you did, and you didn't back away. You let me pour myself into you, and you comforted me in times of need, and you were always there for me. Our bond is stronger than anything in this world, and I promise that I will dedicate all that I am to you. I will love you above..all others..for the rest of our days."

She stepped back, and now both were tearing up and trying desperately not to cry.

Libra's smile now stretched to the corners of his lips.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Amadeus and Cordelia both took a step forward. Cordelia's arms looped around Amadeus' neck, and he pushed her veil aside before settling his hands on her waist. He smiled at her, and they slowly moved their faces together until, finally, their lips met.

* * *

After the ceremony, Amadeus and Cordelia sat through the banquet dinner, enduring ribbing from all their friends. Once it was finally over, they retired to their room. Amadeus opened the door for Cordelia, gesturing her in, and she obliged with a smile.

And then he heard her gasp.

Someone had scattered flower petals all over the room. They were a brilliant red…

_Severa and Morgan. Of course. _

Cordelia sat on the bed and winked at him.

"Amy, honey?"

He closed the door and tried to keep a questioning expression on his face.

"Yes, dear?"

"You might want to lock that door." He did, turning the switch.

"And what are you getting at now?" He stepped over to the bed, sitting next to her and putting his arms around her.

"Well...they say that the first night is when you consummate your marriage…" She took his hands and moved them over her body before pulling him on top of her.

They were glad the door was locked that night.

* * *

Amadeus woke the next morning to a shot of sunlight. He turned and realized that there was a mat of bright red hair on his chest.

"Oh, good morning."

Cordelia mumbled something back before nudging her head into his neck.

"Sorry?"

She opened her eyes and looked up at him from his chest.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

He nodded.

"Yes..that was pretty tiring, huh." He winked at her, and she slapped him lightly on the face.

"Well..yes, it was. But..wow."

He nodded.

"Wow. You're going to have to keep it down though...you _do _know that Morgan and Severa are just down the hall. If they hear you...well, the entire castle probably heard you last night." She slapped him again.

"It's not my fault! I can't help it…"

Amadeus held up his hands in defeat.

"I know, I know. I'm just joking. But it was..amazing."

She nodded in agreement before cuddling against him again. There was a light knock on the door, and they pulled the covers up to their shoulders to cover themselves.

"Come in."

Chrom entered the room, looking pointedly at the ceiling.

"Amadeus. Anna has offered the two of you a honeymoon at one of the Outrealms; they call it the "Hotrealm". Apaprently it's some beach resort or something. Anyways, you have a week there. We can help watch over the kids while you're gone." Chrom said all this while looking up at the ceiling, as if he knew of the lack of clothing under the covers. He dropped an envelope on the desk, and quickly exited the room, closing the door behind him.

"Well, what do you know. A free honeymoon, eh?" Cordelia smiled eagerly. "I've always wanted to go to a beach!"

"Looks like you'll get your chance." She yelped in delight before throwing herself on top of him, pressing her lips against his.

They were together again, and nothing would ever tear them apart again. As their lips parted, Amadeus smiled like he never had before.

For once, there was clarity in his life, and in his head. His dark dreams were a thing of the past, as was the endless fighting.

His job now was to live life like a normal person, with his wife and his family.

**The End.**

* * *

**And there, it's over! Happy ending for everyone. I'll add an epilogue for their honeymoon, but I'm not sure when I'll get around to that, as midterm season is coming around us all. **

**Hope you guys enjoyed it! We can see that Cordelia's really been trying her best to be strong while Amadeus is gone; she knows that he had his reasons for what he did, and she struggles between the fact that it was for the greater good, and the simple fact that she misses him so much and doesn't really know how to cope without him. She did mention earlier that she had no real friends, especially after the demise of the pegasus knights, so we can see that Amadeus is really important to her. **

**We also see a pretty big difference between Morgan and Severa (if we hadn't already). Morgan, with her endless, boundless optimism, is always encouraging her mother that their father will be back. Severa, on the other hand, turns her feelings inward, berating herself and her loved ones while masking how she truly feels. But in the end, they all feel the same way. They know that what Amadeus did was necessary, but they just can't help how much they miss him. **

**And then he gets back! I thought it'd be a realistic scenario; from what we know, Cordelia is a very desirable woman, so I figured that if Amadeus was gone for a while, other men might jump at what they might see is an opportunity. Cordelia, of course, is loyal to Amadeus; I honestly don't think that she would marry anyone if Amadeus didn't return. **

**I also thought that the wedding was a good spot to end. A key part of this story has been Amadeus' haziness as to what his life actually entails; all he knows is war and fighting, and now that it's all over, he really can live a normal life, and the wedding symbolizes his transition from a man of war to a man who is living just like any other (albeit in the castle of Ylisse). **

**So yea! Hope you guys enjoyed this story, I had a heck of a time writing it. Might try my hand at some one-shots/maybe a similar story with a female avatar! Not sure yet, I have a lot of ideas in my mind. Prompts will also always be welcomed! **

**Thanks for staying with me through this story :)**

**Until next time! **


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